For much of the evening, Democrat Jon Ossoff looked to be on pace to finish with 50% of the vote, but as the results come in Ossoff is now projected to finish at between 45% and 48.5%, which means that the special election in Georgia will go to a June runoff.
Nate Cohn of The New York Times projects that Ossoff will miss the 50% mark:
Ossoff's attrition should probably slow down a bit now that so much of Cobb County is in, but still tracking toward a 48/48.5 type finish
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) April 19, 2017
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Before the election, Ossoff was polling at around 43% of the vote so a finish in the upper 40s would be a great omen for the runoff. Democrats were hoping to avoid a runoff election in a district that Republicans have won since 1979, but a narrow miss in the first round of voting should leave Democrats encouraged.
While things still could turn around with a surprise, it looks like Democrats are not quite done yet in the Sixth District in Georgia.
There is another election to be won, and the good news is that the Ossoff campaign was already preparing for a runoff.
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
