Two old political rivals from Florida are trying to help out in a special congressional election held in the Atlanta suburbs which has gotten national attention.
While the seat has traditionally been solid for Republicans--former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and U.S. HHS Sec. Tom Price have held it--polls show a close race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel who served as Georgia secretary of state and made unsuccessful bids for governor and the U.S. Senate.
Handel turned to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for help last week.
“Georgia is the center of the political universe right now,” Rubio wrote in an email sent out to supporters as he tried to link Ossoff to the Democratic leadership. “Nancy Pelosi and the 'resistance’ are looking for a way to strike a blow against President Trump and Republicans by defeating Karen Handel in the crucial Georgia special election.
“The liberals are fired up unlike anything we've seen in recent memory – and the latest polls show this race is virtually tied,” Rubio added. “As conservatives, we have a duty to step up when our name is called. Right now, the situation could not be more urgent.
“If we allow the Democrats to gain momentum at this point, they'll look to ride that momentum into the 2018 and 2020 elections. A scenario that would have devastating impacts.” Rubio continued. “Conservatives need to step up right now to fight back against the ‘resistance.’”
Ossoff could count on help of his own in the Sunshine State from an old rival of Rubio’s. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., went to bat for Ossoff on Monday, emailing supporters and urging them to back the Georgia Democrat. In 2010, Crist, then serving as governor and still a Republican, clashed with Rubio in the U.S. Senate race. After losing ground to Rubio, Crist ditched the GOP to run for the Senate with no party affiliation but lost to Rubio. Crist joined the Democrats after the 2012 elections and was his new party’s candidate to take on Gov. Rick Scott in 2014 but he came up short. Bouncing back in 2016, Crist defeated then U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla.
“A special election in Georgia may shock the nation next week,” Crist insisted in the email. “Why? A strong Democrat named Jon Ossoff is well on his way to flipping a formerly safe-GOP district vacated by one of Trump's Cabinet members.
“Let me tell you what is at stake here,” Crist added. “If Jon wins this special election on June 20th, other House Republicans will know that it is politically risky to continue to go along with Trump's disastrous legislative agenda. (They may even lose their jobs in 2018.)
“Winning this election is more important than ever,” Crist added. “This could make the difference on Trump's budget, his disastrous health care bill, Dodd-Frank, and much, much more.
“This election is neck-and-neck and Republicans are beginning to panic,” Crist continued. “Trump allies are pouring money into this race like never before because they know what is on the line.
“We don't need another rubber stamp for Donald Trump in Congress,” Crist concluded.
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