Just a week or so removed from Congressman-elect Greg Gianforte’s body slam of a reporter before Montana’s special election to fill a vacant seat, all focus has shifted to Georgia’s runoff election between Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel — The latter of whom shockingly said, “I do not support a livable wage,” at their recent debate.
The June 20th runoff to represent Georgia’s 6th District was expected to be an easy win for the GOP, who has held the congressional district for over 40 years (Newt Gingrich held the seat for 20 years and like Ossoff, lived outside the district). But, Ossoff has rallied to a 6-point lead with the help of Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi, much to the ire of Handel’s supporters. Her comments tonight likely won’t help matters, as early voting has begun to trickle in.
ICYMI: When @karenhandel was asked about raising the minimum wage she said, “I do not support a livable wage.” #WSBdebate pic.twitter.com/BNM6FX6pbN
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) June 7, 2017
Online, few are defending her remarks, with most surprisingly in-tune with a special election and railing against Handel’s cold and seemingly calculated knocks on San Francisco, Planned Parenthood, and Obamacare.
https://twitter.com/deahcory/status/872266830517325828
Well, going low worked for Trump, maybe Handel thinks it will work for her too. Nobody likes a copycat. #WSBdebate
— 🐼Wicked Betch🦄 (@IamLisaBetch) June 7, 2017
My feelings after that debate. #GA06 #WSBdebate pic.twitter.com/wjYIkq88mI
— Trista McGlamery (@tristamac) June 7, 2017
"I don't support a living wage." –@karenhandel
GA minimum wage: $5.15
We deserve better in #GA06. #WSBDebate
— Matt Krack (@MattKrack) June 7, 2017
San Francisco as an insult! @karenhandel you just insulted this voter. I'm from California It's a beautiful place. #WSBdebate
— Marlene Kimm (@marlenekimm) June 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoshM_White/status/872263783191764992
Handel, "I don't support a livable wage." #WSBdebate pic.twitter.com/WAmlHj2xd0
— Debbie (@DebInSB) June 7, 2017
Tell em Dane! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
A livable wage, too much to ask.
Corporate welfare, no tax cut too big!#WSBdebate 🇺🇸#GaPol 🔴⚪️🔵— Byrøn Bieniemy (Stroopwafel Coordinator) (@byst) June 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/ridic_nic/status/872262112495665153
https://twitter.com/lmdigges/status/872262059001511936
Handel continued to dig in her heels on a variety of conservative topics, but didn’t articulate her views with any sort of intellectual sense. She just plopped em out there and moved on in a huff before repeatedly bringing up Nancy Pelosi or some other buzzword issue. Thanks to Trump, this seems to be a GOP campaign strategy now — call people liberals in a pejorative sense (much like Gianforte did in his now-proven-false statement that said the reporter he slammed grabbed him first), do as little explaining as possible, hit talking points, and wear red.
https://twitter.com/ErinLea7/status/872265610499117056
https://twitter.com/whatmatters1/status/872261870471835649
I'm pretty pissed off by the Karen Handel's consistent use of "liberal" in a derogatory sense. She is part of the problem. #WSBdebate
— #1 aclu stan (@typjordan) June 7, 2017
Donald Trump after finding out about Karen Handel debate performance…. #WSBdebate #FlipThe6th #6thdistrictdebate pic.twitter.com/85wgjiL5Tz
— Pet Wisdom for Life 💙 (@SDWisdom) June 7, 2017