The zeal among some Democrats, liberals, and progressives for the Georgia House special election were always emotional. Some are still dealing with an Election Night 2016 hangover and were desperate for a win, but the win that they should be looking for is to defeat Trump on healthcare, not a victory that would net them 1/435th of the House.
Some on the left were leading with their hearts when they got enamored with the Georgia Sixth District race. Jon Ossoff wasn’t a liberal or progressive candidate but had a chance to win, so the activists, Democrats, and liberals threw everything they could muster behind him, but in a way, the special elections were always fool’s gold.
Republicans picked the special election map, and they picked seats that they were big favorites to keep.
Democrats have been the road team facing uphill odds in these contests, but I get it.
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A special election win would stick it to Trump. Democrats would win something again. It would feel great, but this mentality overlooked one key fact.
Democrats are already winning.
A special election win is the political victory equivalent of junk food. Sure, it would taste good at the time, but it is a short term feel good fix.
The real win. The victory that is the Thanksgiving dinner of political achievements is already happening.
Democrats are winning on health care.
The real win that should give Democrats real hope is if they defeat Donald Trump on healthcare. Trump could care less who wins the Georgia special election, but this president is obsessed with getting a big political “win” under his belt.
Trump would trade a loss in Georgia for a win on health care in half a second.
The victory that will crush Trump was never in Georgia, or Montana, or Kansas. The win that Democrats need most is sitting right there in the Senate, and you can make it happen by getting on the phone and calling the seven Republican Senators who aren’t supporting the bill and making sure that their vote stays in the no column.
A defeat of Trump on health care will mean more to America and the Democratic Party than a Jon Ossoff win ever could.
Republicans won an election in Georgia. Democrats are out to win the battle to save one-sixth of the US economy.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
