A sampling of post-hearing reactions to the June 20, 2017 special election in GA-6:

Americans for Limited Government

Georgia Congressional race a wake-up call for GOP

June 20, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in reaction to the results in the Georgia Congressional District 6 race:

"The Georgia Congressional race should serve as a wake-up call for the GOP in Washington, D.C. to get to work on President Trump's agenda. The Ryan-McConnell rope a dope strategy where they spend more time on vacation than doing the people's business will lead to catastrophic results in November of 2018. Speaker Ryan should immediately cancel the August recess and move aggressively forward on the President's agenda with an emphasis on economic growth measures, including laying the groundwork for tax cuts, turning the President's infrastructure plan into legislation and sending it to the Senate, and cutting the budget in accordance with the Trump budget.

"The House of Representatives is not saddled with the filibuster and the GOP Conference needs to be aggressive in passing limited government legislation across Capitol Hill to the Senate."

To view online: http://getliberty.org/2017/06/georgia-congressional-race-a-wake-up-call-for-gop/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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NRCC | June 21, 2017

Memo: GA-06 Special Election Results

To: Interested Parties

From: Matt Gorman, NRCC Communications Director

RE: GA-06 Special Election Results

 

MORAL VICTORIES VS. ACTUAL VICTORIES

House Democrats have done it again.

After promising a revamped strategy that would deliver them a majority, House Democrats are no closer to that goal today than they were at the beginning of the new year.

Don’t fall for the spin. They marshalled their resources and went all-in Georgia…

…and they failed. Miserably.

They went 0-5 in specials elections – failing to win in KS-04, MT-AL, SC-05, and twice in GA-06.

Moral victories won’t get Nancy Pelosi any closer to the gavel.

$25 MILLION DOLLAR MAN

Jon Ossoff had every single advantage…and still came up short.

Early in the primary process, Democrats launched a massive effort on Jon Ossoff’s behalf – back when he wanted to “Make Trump Furious.” National progressive outlets immediately rallied around him and helped him raise nearly $25 million with only 2.5% – 3.5% of those donations coming from inside Georgia. The DCCC touted their decision to send 9 staffers to the district in early March and orchestrated fundraisers for Ossoff with Pelosi and other national Democrats.

All while 11 Republican candidates battled it out in a brutal primary which Karen Handel eventually won decisively.

Ossoff had infinite money, liberal activist energy, and the backing of Nancy Pelosi and national Democrats, yet completely whiffed.

The 2018 House landscape simply won’t allow for any one race to generate the kind of attention GA-06 did – and with that, a candidate will be hard-pressed to replicate the inherent advantages Ossoff had.

SMART, TARGETED INVESTMENTS 

Throughout the campaign, the NRCC acted aggressively and made smart, targeted investments that helped make a difference.

The committee, with the help of Speaker Ryan and House Leadership, has shattered fundraising records during the first five months of the year.

Our ability to raise money has allowed us to boost Republican turnout and ultimately do what our counterparts in the Democratic Party have failed to do…win races.

In a Georgia-06’s unique jungle primary, the NRCC released a first time ever GOTV television ad geared towards Republicans with one goal in mind, keeping Jon Ossoff below 50% and forcing a runoff. This bold strategy was the first time any party committee had ever done paid media solely focused on getting Republicans out to vote.

The air cover provided to the Republican candidates allowed them to focus on their respective campaigns, hold Jon Ossoff accountable, and ensure voters from our party headed to the polls.

ALL JUST TALK

Before Dems dizzy themselves by claiming this was a moral victory, it’s important to look at the facts.

Democrats went all-in on Georgia’s 6th District and ended up with a loss.

Don’t believe their tired spin that “100 districts are in play” or “a new Democratic majority runs through the suburban districts.”

They don’t have a confidence problem; they have a competence problem.

Fawning press stories or bluster doesn’t win a single vote. There comes a time where a party must put up or shut up.

If the Democrats couldn’t win in Georgia with numerous inherent advantages, they should be seriously concerned about their prospects in 2018.

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NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers’ Statement On Karen Handel’s GA-06 Victory

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers released the following statement regarding Karen Handel’s victory in the tough-fought race in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District:

“I am thrilled to congratulate Karen Handel on her resounding victory tonight in Georgia’s 6th District,” said NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers.

“Nancy Pelosi threw the kitchen sink at her, yet Karen still came out on top and ready to fight for Georgia in Congress. For all the Democrats’ bluster and despite pouring over $30 million into this race, I couldn’t be more proud to help keep this seat in Republican hands.”

“I want to thank the White House, House Leadership, and the entire Republican team for their tireless work through the last several months.”

Republican National Committee
June 21, 2017
Talking Points On Special Election Results
  • Last night, Republican candidates Karen Handel and Ralph Norman won hard-fought elections in Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District and South Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District.
    • These victories were for the constituents in each respective district who believe that Obamacare needs to be replaced, our tax code must be reformed and our infrastructure must be strengthened.
    • Make no mistake, last night was a strong rejection of the obstructionist tactics employed by Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Democrats in Washington. 
  • The RNC worked hand-in-hand with the respective campaigns, the White House, and the NRCC to make the victories a reality. The campaigns were focused on keeping the voters informed of key issues, keeping the media honest, and fighting for a better candidate to serve that district.
  • In Georgia:
    • The Democrats spent a massive $30 million for Jon Ossoff to get the same 47% that Hillary Clinton did in that same district in 2016 – and to underperform his 48.1% in the April primary.
    • Despite the millions of dollars pouring in from California and New York to prop up Jon Ossoff’s campaign, the voters of Georgia’s Sixth District made it clear they wanted an independent, battle-tested leader to represent them in Washington.
    • The RNC invested early with our top-notch ground game, battle-tested data operation, and paid staff on the ground.
    • The RNC invested nearly $2 million and made millions of voter contacts. We had nearly 20 staffers on the ground.
  • Democrats are now 0-4 in Congressional Special Elections this year and it is clear the Republican message is still resonating with voters far and wide.
    • While Democrats continue crowing over their so-called “moral victories,” it’s important to remember that only real wins will get you a vote in Congress.


The Latest From RNC Research: Dems Went All In On Ossoff And Have Nothing To Show For It. Read the blog post here.
DCCC   see also MEMO [PDF]
June 21, 2017

DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján Congratulates Jon Ossoff on Hard Fought, Inspiring Campaign

DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján released the following statement congratulating Jon Ossoff on a hard fought campaign in Georgia’s deep-red 6th District:

“I want to congratulate Jon Ossoff, his team and his grassroots supporters on his optimistic, inspiring and hard-fought campaign. Jon ran on the principles of kindness, humility and strength, and he should be proud of what he accomplished—it’s clear he has a bright future ahead of him.

“Although we fell short tonight, it’s important to take a step back and recognize what Jon and the DCCC achieved together. In a very conservative district where Democrats rarely break the mid-30’s and Republicans enjoy a massive registration advantage, Jon and his supporters pushed the race to the limit, vastly outperforming past Democrats in both the primary and the runoff.

“There are more than 70 districts more favorable to Democrats than this deep-red district, and Ossoff’s close margin demonstrates the potential for us to compete deep into the battlefield. The strong headwinds facing Republicans, incredible grassroots enthusiasm behind Democrats, and a damaged and exposed House Republican Caucus all clarify that we have the momentum heading into 2018.”

EMILY's List
June 21, 2017 Fundraising Email

Like so many Democrats, we'd been closely following the fight for Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

Democrat Jon Ossoff went up against an anti-choice extremist and aimed to flip a deeply red seat. He lost, but the fact that he was able to advance so far and come within four points of victory says something remarkable about what Democrats can do in the months to come.

See, there are 71 Republican-held districts around the country that are bluer than Georgia's 6th. If we could come this close to flipping this seat, there's no telling what we might be able to do next year.

Donate $3 to build on the momentum coming out of Georgia and flip House seats next year.

Across the country, voters are standing up and fighting back.

That's where EMILY's List comes in: We want to run pro-choice Democratic women in as many vulnerable, Republican-held House districts as possible next year. If we're successful, we have a good chance of flipping the House.

So we're diving in headfirst. We've endorsed Katie Porter in California, Chrissy Houlahan in Pennsylvania, and Abby Finkenauer in Iowa, all of whom could flip seats. They're just the first of many challenger endorsements we'll be making this year, so stay tuned.

We're also rallying behind Stephanie Murphy, Jacky Rosen, and Carol Shea-Porter, three of our House women up for re-election next year. We can't take back the House if we lose their seats to Republicans.

Last night's results are encouraging and prove that Democrats can compete in deep-red districts. And, as Jon himself pointed out, his campaign was powered by women in his community who decided to fight back!

Let's get to work and show Republicans we CAN take back the House:

https://secure.emilyslist.org/After-Georgia

Thank you,

Stephanie Schriock
President, EMILY's List
 

Americans for Limited Government is a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties. For more information on ALG please visit our website atwww.GetLiberty.org.