<p class="p1">Democrat Jon Ossoff <a shape="rect" href="https://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/democrat-jon-ossoff-declines-6th-district-debate-cnn/l7pdlO2ev3SRybQkfXsIEP/"><span class="s2">declined </span>to participate in a debate</a> with Republican Karen Handel that would have been broadcast nationally on CNN ahead of Georgia’s 6th Congressional District’s runoff special election.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The debate would have taken place on June 13 at the Atlanta Press Club, but Ossoff's spokeswoman told CNN that Ossoff would commit only to debates moderated by “the metro Atlanta press corps,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The only two debates that are scheduled to occur so far are one on WSB-TV on Tuesday and a second on Thursday on WBAE-TV, Atlanta’s PBS station. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">After <a shape="rect" href="https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/jon-ossoff-karen-handel-georgia-special-election">coming in first place in the initial special election</a> in April, Ossoff challenged Handel to six debates, but Handel declined one of them. Now Handel supporters are slamming Ossoff for declining the CNN one.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Southern Region Young Republicans tweeted it showed he was “not ready for prime time.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Maybe if CNN lets him dress in ‘Star Wars’ attire he’ll reconsider,” the group said, alluding to an opposition ad showing Ossoff dressed as Han Solo.</span></p><p class="p1">[<a shape="rect" href="https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/poll-ossoff-leads-handel-by-seven-points"><em><strong>Poll: Ossoff Leads Handel by 7 Points in Georgia House Runoff</strong></em></a>]</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Atlanta Press Club President Lori Strauss said she was disappointed that Ossoff declined the event.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“We regret Jon Ossoff has declined to be a part of this debate, which would have helped inform the voters of Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District and engaged viewers around the country,” she said.</span></p><div id="cqrcPostAdditional"></div>
