Jon Ossoff’s campaign on Thursday announced a television ad about cutting wasteful government spending in an apparent bid for independent and Republican voters in Georgia’s Sixth District, where Ossoff is competing against Republican Karen Handel for a U.S. House seat.
In the 30-second spot, titled “Table,” Ossoff says that “both parties in Congress waste a lot of your money” and pledges to cute wasteful spending, reduce the deficit and bring jobs to Georgia.
The ad is already running in the Atlanta market, but it’s not clear how long the ad will run and Ossoff’s campaign would not confirm the size of the ad buy to TPM. The campaign has set aside at least $5.2 million for ads through the June 20 runoff election, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The spot, along with a press conference Wednesday laying out Ossoff’s plan to reduce wasteful spending, appears to be a pitch to a broad swath of voters in Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District, including independents and Republicans.
Democrats are hopeful about their chances in the district because while Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price previously won re-election in the district without breaking a sweat, President Donald Trump only won the district by one point in November. Still, given the partisan makeup of the district, Ossoff will likely need Republican votes to edge out his runoff opponent, Republican Karen Handel, for the seat.
Ossoff has sought to capitalize on anti-Trump fervor in the suburban Atlanta district, but he has made a point not to campaign as an anti-Trump candidate. Before the initial jungle primary, Ossoff ran ads pledging to hold Trump accountable, but in the final days before that April 18 vote, Ossoff declined to directly attack Trump in interviews.
Watch the new ad:
I live in the district next to the 6th. I was driving through 6 this morning and there are Ossoff signs everywhere.
Luckily I live in district 4 which is solid Dem.
PS… I did not see even one sign for the Republican
I wonder if this is a mistake. I don’t live in this area so I don’t know for a fact. Seeing as Rump only won the area with 1 point, doesn’t it make sense to tie Handel to him? Not so much to point out the racism and fascism but the incompetence and buffoonery? Or is that something that would turn off Republican support?
Unless Handel is simply disliked by the GOPers in that district, I’m skeptical that trying directly to appeal to them is going to yield much for Ossoff. When election day arrives, GOPers always vote their tribal identity. To the extent that Trump isn’t popular in his district, I can’t believe it’s because the voters there are upset with his stance on the budget deficit.
The positions outlined on his website are solidly liberal Democratic, but unfortunately this refusal to go after Trump smacks of trying to run away from being a Democrat. I.E., Ossoff has no idea how to advocate for clean air, drinkable water, safe roads and bridges, good public education, healthy food and medicine, and safe working conditions in a way that average voters can respond to.
Hope his strategy works. God knows having a religious cretin like Handel in the House isn’t going to help things.
He needs Rethug support because there are not enough Dems to vote for him in this district.