Dem Lucy McBath unseats Handel in pivotal Georgia House seat

Rep. Karen Handel (R-Ga.) conceded Thursday in her tight House race in an Atlanta suburb to gun control activist Lucy McBath (D).

The victory puts the Georgia district in Democratic hands more than a year after the party fell short in a heated special election that drew national attention. Handel ended up winning by about 5 points over Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff.

The district had been in Republican hands for more than three decades.  

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McBath was ahead of Handel by about 1 percent of the vote or a little less than 3,000 votes.

The victory adds to the Democratic total in the House. The party has won 28 seats and is likely to gain nearly 35, with a number of races still too close to call.

McBath was motivated to run for Congress after her teenage son was shot and killed. She got a huge boost from groups linked to gun control advocate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He has spent millions of dollars to help Democrats take back the House.

Ossoff quickly congratulated McBath on the win.

Congratulations Lucy McBath, U.S. Representative-elect for Georgia’s Sixth District.

Lucy’s 16-year-old son Jordan was murdered. His legacy endures in his mother’s powerful voice for Georgia.

Thank you @LucyWins2018, and the thousands who have worked like hell for this victory.

— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) November 7, 2018