A Note Of Caution For Dems About Georgia Special Election

 Today we will finally find out the results of the special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

The polls have shown this to be a very close race, and the winner will depend on which side can get the most voters to cast a ballot. The early voting has shown both candidates getting a lot of support.

Some Democrats are counting on winning this seat, and believe it will be a predictor of what's going to happen in the 2018 off-year elections. I would like to think they are right, but I urge some caution in that.

Georgia's 6th Congressional District is a Republican district. It has been in Republican hands since 1979 -- nearly four decades (and longer than any other congressional district in that state). It would be a minor miracle if Democrat Jon Ossoff could actually win the seat.

The extremely close polls have scared the crap out of the teabaggers, trumpistas, and other Republicans -- and they will go to the polls in large numbers today. I don't want to sound defeatist, but it is still likely that Republican Karen Handel will win the seat.

But even if this seat, normally a very safe seat for the GOP, stays in Republican hands, that does not diminish Democratic hopes for the 2018 election. Just the fact that it was close (and I believe it will be) means the Democrats could flip a lot of the more purple seats across the country in 2018 -- if they remain enthusiastic and work hard. Win or lose, the 2018 results will depend on what happens in the next few months.

Having said all that, I wish Jon Ossoff luck in today's election. I hope he can pull off this minor miracle.