6th District House Race: New Poll Shows Ossoff, Handel Neck In Neck

EAST COBB, GA — A new poll released over the weekend shows that Georgia's 6th District Congressional race, which has been viewed as an early indicator of the 2018 elections and the strength of President Donald Trump, remains neck and neck.

The survey from Florida-based Gravis Marketing shows Democrat Jon Ossoff is leading Republican Karen Handel 47 percent to 45 percent with a 3.3 margin of error, which means that with a little more than a month to go, the race remains a dead heat. The poll also finds that Trump, despite his recent missteps, continues to have a positive favorability rating. Forty-six percent of respondents approve of what he is doing, while 43 percent disapprove. SIGN UP: To stay up to date on all developments in the 6th District, click here to sign up for the East Cobb Patch. Or find your Atlanta-area town here. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.

Results of the poll, which was conducted May 8--10 and released Sunday, underscore that the 6th District race will be highly competitive, especially with the campaign now holding the distinction of being the most expensive House election in U.S. history.

The poll comes as Speaker Paul Ryan heads to Atlanta to speak at a Handel fundraiser. Ryan campaign spokesman Zack Roday told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the speaker is “proud to stand with Karen Handel, a strong conservative leader who will be a fighter for Georgians.”

The June 20 runoff in the 6th District is being closely watched by Washington and much of the nation as many see it as a litmus test of Trump's ideals.

Meanwhile, a GOP-leaning PAC recently released a TV ad aimed at portraying Ossoff as a San Francisco-backed candidate. The ad, which shows hippies and the sort thanking Georgia for Ossoff, has riled some Northern Californians with its bad acting.

The website SFist writes: "Why not just go for it and hire a person wearing a "Hippie Costume - Adult" from the Spirit Superstore downing a sundae at Ghirardelli Square during an earthquake?"

Ossoff came just short of winning the 6th District House seat in the April 19 special election against 17 other candidates. His 48 percent total was 2 percent shy of the 50 percent he needed to turn the longtime GOP-leaning district into a Democratic one and win the race outright.

Handel vs. Ossoff: Ad Blitzes Galore in 6th District Race

Gov. Nathan Deal called a special election in February, when then-U.S. Rep. Tom Price vacated his seat to become the nation's health secretary.

6th District Race: Handel Wishes Ossoff 'Congratulations' On Engagement

6th District House Race: New Poll Shows Dead Heat

Jon Ossoff Vs. Karen Handel: What National Media Are Saying

Image via Patch file photo