Politics & Government

Georgia 2020: McBath's 6th District Targeted By Republicans

Lucy McBath unseated Karen Handel last fall with a shocking victory. Now, McBath's district has been tagged for a GOP comeback next year.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Lucy McBath shocked Georgia's political establishment last fall when she upset Karen Handel to win Georgia's 6th congressional district. Now, McBath has been targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee as one of 55 Democrat-held House seats to flip next year. The list was first reported by Roll Call Thursday, and is mostly composed of the 2018 freshman class.

McBath defeated Handel, a Republican, just over a year after the former Georgia secretary of state won the seat in a special election against Jon Ossoff, a campaign that became the nation's most expensive congressional election in history. The seat had become vacant when Tom Price joined President Donald Trump's cabinet as secretary of health and human services. Price later resigned the office, becoming the first of several Trump cabinet members to depart.

McBath has already picked up one challenger: one GOP challenger: state Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta, who has served District 21 in the General Assembly since 2013. Beach's district includes Alpharetta, Milton and the eastern half of Cherokee County. Georgia's 6th district includes portions of east Cobb, north Fulton and north DeKalb counties as well as the cities of Roswell, Johns Creek, Tucker, Alpharetta, Milton, Mountain Park, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, Doraville and Dunwoody.

Find out what's happening in Brookhavenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Woodall's announced he will not seek reelection to his 7th district seat next year. Woodall, a Republican, narrowly won reelection last fall following a strong challenge from Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux, who immediately announced she would run again in 2020.

Read more: Two GA House Districts Set Up As Battlegrounds

Find out what's happening in Brookhavenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The 7th congressional district includes portions of Gwinnett and Forsyth County, and its election was the nation's closest congressional contest last fall.

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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30: Rep.-elect Lucy McBath (D-GA) celebrates after drawing the number 18 in the lottery draw for congressional offices November 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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