Republican wins Georgia election, blow to anti-Trump effort: media

Georgia’s 6th congressional district Republican candidate Karen Handel and husband, Steve Handel, address supporters gathered at Hyatt Regency at Villa Christina in Atlanta, Georgia on June 20. Jessica McGowan/Getty Images/AFP

(AFP) — Republican Karen Handel won a fierce, closely watched special congressional election Tuesday in Georgia, US media projected, salvaging a seat in traditional conservative territory where Democrats had hoped to strike a blow against Donald Trump’s presidency.

With about 83 percent of the vote counted, Handel was ahead with 52.6 percent of the vote compared with 47.4 percent for Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, prompting CNN and NBC News to call the race in Handel’s favor.