President Donald Trump will host a fundraiser for Karen Handel, the Republican candidate in the runoff to fill an open U.S. House seat in Georgia, on Friday in Atlanta.
Trump’s fundraiser was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday, and Handel’s campaign confirmed to TPM that Trump would fundraise for the GOP candidate on Friday.
Handel will face off against Democrat Jon Ossoff in a runoff election on June 20 after Ossoff narrowly missed winning the race last week.
The special election in Georgia has gained national attention because Democrats see it as one of their best chances to turn a ruby-red district blue. Tom Price, who now leads the Health and Human Services Department, won re-election to his House seat in the Sixth District by more than 20 points in November. However, Trump only won the district by one point, giving Democrats hope that they can channel anti-Trump fervor into a win in Georgia.
The fundraiser Friday afternoon asks for $25,000 for a host sponsorship and $27,000 per person for tickets, according to an invitation obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
During the months leading up to the April election day, Handel largely steered clear of Trump. She acknowledged that she voted for Trump but rarely mentioned him on the campaign trail and did not say the President’s name during her speech last week. Yet, after she advanced to the runoff, she welcomed Trump’s support and said she hoped he would fundraise for her.