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Handel Touts National Republicans’ Contributing to Her Campaign

Republicans have criticized opponent Ossoff’s contributions from Democrats outside the district in Georgia House race

Karen Handel, candidate for the open Georgia 6th Congressional District seat, told donors Vice President Mike Pence and hopefully Sen. Marco Rubio will campaign with her. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Karen Handel, candidate for the open Georgia 6th Congressional District seat, told donors Vice President Mike Pence and hopefully Sen. Marco Rubio will campaign with her. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Georgia Republican House candidate Karen Handel, who has been critical of Democrats outside the district supporting her opponent, was caught on an audio recording telling donors that national GOP heavyweights will be lending a hand to her campaign.

At a meet and greet for Dekalb County Republicans at a private home, Handel is heard speaking about plans to have Vice President Mike Pence campaign with her.

Handel says that she can’t give a date yet for the VP’s visit, but would when she had it.

“Hopefully it’s going to be both a fundraiser and a rally,” she says in the recording. “That’s what we’re pushing for so that we have as many people as possible.” 

An attendee at the meet and greet provided the audio to a source, who provided it to Roll Call. Handel’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment.

In the recording, Handel also touts that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio might come to campaign.

“Everyone around the country is really watching things and making sure we have the absolute best possible team and all of the resources to get this job done,” Handel is heard saying.

Republicans have criticized Ossoff for his ties to national Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and for getting support from liberal types in Hollywood.

Handel is set to campaign with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Monday.

Polling shows Handel and Ossoff in a dead heat. A new poll by Gravis Marketing shows Ossoff with a slight lead against Handel, but it also shows that 53 percent of voters who did not vote in the primary leaning toward Ossoff in the runoff and only 32 percent leaning toward Handel.

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