Today we will finally find out the results of the special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.The polls have shown this to be a very close race, and the winner will depend on which side can get the most voters to cast a ballot. The early voting has shown both candidates getting a lot of support.
Some Democrats are counting on winning this seat, and believe it will be a predictor of what's going to happen in the 2018 off-year elections. I would like to think they are right, but I urge some caution in that.
Georgia's 6th Congressional District is a Republican district. It has been in Republican hands since 1979 -- nearly four decades (and longer than any other congressional district in that state). It would be a minor miracle if Democrat Jon Ossoff could actually win the seat.
The extremely close polls have scared the crap out of the teabaggers, trumpistas, and other Republicans -- and they will go to the polls in large numbers today. I don't want to sound defeatist, but it is still likely that Republican Karen Handel will win the seat.
But even if this seat, normally a very safe seat for the GOP, stays in Republican hands, that does not diminish Democratic hopes for the 2018 election. Just the fact that it was close (and I believe it will be) means the Democrats could flip a lot of the more purple seats across the country in 2018 -- if they remain enthusiastic and work hard. Win or lose, the 2018 results will depend on what happens in the next few months.
Having said all that, I wish Jon Ossoff luck in today's election. I hope he can pull off this minor miracle.
