Special congressional elections in Georgia and North Carolina an early test for Trump’s Republicans
The US states of Georgia and South Carolina will hold two special elections to replace Republican representatives who have been chosen to serve in President Trump’s cabinet.
Democrat Jon Ossof is running against Republican Karen Handel in Georgia’s 6th congressional district to replace Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, while Democrat Archie Parnell is squaring off against Republican Ralph Norman in South Carolina’s 5th congressional district.
Special elections are the first tests for the anti-Trump “resistance” which has organised in opposition to the president and his agenda. So far, the movement has failed to win vacant Republican seats in Kansas and Montana.
While South Carolina’s 5th congressional district is considered to be too staunchly conservative for an upset, Georgia’s 6th is expected to be more closely contested. Tom Price swept the state by 25 points last November, but Trump carried only 50% of votes in the district.
Democrats have poured over $20 million into the race, hoping for an upset in the traditionally Republican district to energise their base and send a strong anti-Trump signal.
Delve deeper: US special elections: Republican cracks begin to show