Poll: Dem Ossoff leads by 1 in Georgia House race

Democrat Jon Ossoff is leading Republican Karen Handel by 1 point in Georgia’s House special election, according to a new poll.

Forty-nine percent of voters back Ossoff to 48 percent for Handel, according to the WSB-TV/Landmark Communications survey released Thursday.

Ossoff has lifted Democrats’ hopes to pick off a longtime GOP-held seat in the race to replace former Rep. Tom Price (R), who left to become President Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary.

{mosads}“This race is neck and neck and our campaign is going to continue to work as hard as we ever have to ensure we don’t send another career politician to Washington,” Ossoff’s campaign said in a statement Thursday.

“With the race tied, it’s important that every Republican take their duty to get out and vote seriously,” Handel’s campaign said in a statement Thursday. “Otherwise, California money could end buying another Georgia congressional seat for the Democrats.”

Early voting for the contest started Tuesday and runs through June 16. The special election over Georgia’s 6th District is scheduled to conclude June 20.

Democrats and Republicans have each spent millions on the campaigns, with the race drawing national attention.

The flood of campaign ads and resources in the race’s final month has made it the most expensive House race in U.S. history.

Price, a Republican, vacated the House seat in February. Republicans have held the district since 1979.

WBS-TV/Landmark Communications conducted its latest survey of 500 Georgia voters via phone and online interviews from May 30-31. It has a 4.4 percent margin of error.