Record-breaking congressional election headed for photo finish

If Ossoff wins, it'll give heart to Democrats that the enthusiasm among Democratic voters and activists who oppose Mr. Trump can make a difference in midterm races, even in some Republican districts.

The two Trump Cabinet secretaries, both Georgia Republicans, had unwittingly revealed the twin hurdles standing in Handel's path heading into Tuesday's election: Democratic enthusiasm is soaring across the country while the sort of pastel-and-Polo-clad Republicans who reside in this district are uneasy about what they see in Washington and have decidedly mixed views of President Donald Trump.

The latest polls in the Georgia district show the candidates within the margins of error.

Ossoff led an April primary but fell just short of an outright victory, sending an already costly race into a two-month runoff campaign.

Polls suggest the race for the seat in suburban Atlanta between Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel is very close. He doesn't constantly refer to Handel, a former Georgia secretary of state, directly either, instead pitching his "fresh leadership" against "career politicians".

Jon Ossoff, Democratic candidate for Georgia's 6th congressional district talks to supporters during a stop at a campaign office in Chamblee, Ga., Monday, June 19, 2017. Over 95 percent of donations have come from outside Georgia - a point of contention for Republicans.

The contest to see who will become 435th in seniority in Congress' lower chamber has attracted an enormous amount of media coverage, visits from one major political figure after another, and over $50 million, making it easily the most expensive House race in American history.

A Democrat won a special election earlier this year in California, but that seat had been vacated by another Democrat. The GOP knows losing a red seat would be disastrous for their agenda, but they are just as aware that a Democratic loss would deal a heavy blow to the opposition's momentum.

Handel has handled Trump gingerly. That's both the district's Republican stronghold and where nearly half the district's voters reside.

Whether they're Democrats or Republicans, election watchers probably have Georgia on their minds. "That's why we're so focused on getting out the vote". The district traditionally goes Republican, but most consider the race too close to call as voters head to the polls on Tuesday. What they tend to have in common: Relatively highly educated, wealthy and diverse populations, plus people who - like thousands in Ossoff's district - voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 and then backed Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Handel maintained some distance from Trump in the primary but has fully embraced his support and agenda since, including a joint fundraiser. Even if Ossoff wins, that battle within the party will continue to rage, though it may be briefly tamped down as Democrats celebrate his victory. That malaise has already hobbled Republicans in Georgia, forcing national super PACs to spend heavily to aid Handel while Ossoff has raised over $24 million on his own, mainly with support from small donors. Republican hand-wringing about how Trump's controversies and negative ratings will affect them in future elections will be in full force. Why? That election set up today's run-off because no candidate cleared a true majority; Handel won 20% of the vote in a crowded Republican field. Again, it's mainly because this is a Republican district that has been held by Republicans for decades - even though Trump barely squeaked by Clinton with a mere 1.5 percent margin in November.

Mr. Trump's opponents around the country - Democrats and anti-Trump independents - will have some proof that Mr. Trump can be a political liability and they'll get a huge lift in terms of energy and enthusiasm for recruiting candidates and for fundraising. After all, 71 incumbent Republicans sit in districts that are - per the Cook Political Report's partisan voter index - less GOP-leaning than Georgia's 6th District.