ATLANTA -- Republican Karen Handel is congratulating her opponent Lucy McBath in the 6th Congressional District race.
A letter was sent Thursday morning, saying she knows that she came up a bit short. Read the letter below:
After carefully reviewing all of the election results data, it is clear that I came up a bit short on Tuesday. Congratulations to Representative-Elect Lucy McBath and send her only good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her.
While Tuesday’s loss is indeed disappointing, there is much for which we can and should be grateful.
We live in a great country. In no other nation in the world could a girl leave home at 17 – finish school on her own and then work her way up – and have the incredible opportunities that I have had.
This country has enabled me to follow my dreams personally and professionally. You gave me the honor of serving as Chairman of the Fulton Commission, as Secretary of State. And, for the last year and a half, you gave me the high honor – the incredible privilege – of serving you as your representative in Congress.
My story underscores just how exceptional this country is. In this great nation, the least among us have opportunities to offer our best. We’re a country that encourages and rewards hard work.
And in this country, no loss, no failure, is ever final nor is it the end. God has a plan for each and every one of us. Sometimes, though, HIS plan and our plan are different. So, Steve and I will be put our faith in Him and trust that whatever lies ahead will be exactly what we need.
When I was elected last year, I promised to give you my all in representing you and the entire District. I've done my absolute best to do that – every moment of every day. While our country and hardworking families here in the 6th District and across the country are doing better, these remain challenging times with too much anger and animosity. That’s why we must all recommit ourselves to giving hope, creating opportunity, and building a better America for our fellow Americans —and to doing so with grace, humility, heart, and compassion.
I do not know what the future holds for me and Steve. We will do what we’ve done every other time God has led us down a different road. We’re going to pray. We're going to listen.
There are so many people to thank, and that starts with Steve. Yesterday, we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary — and I can assure you that NONE of this was ever Steve’s plans! I love him for so very many reasons,. You’ve heard him say it — “He’s my #1 supporter” — and indeed he is. He’s been by my side throughout this crazy journey, and I know with great certainty that wherever the road leads — wherever God’s plan leads — I will go there hand in hand with this incredible man.
And to each of you — Steve and I can never repay your kindness, but please know that we are forever grateful. Your friendship and love continues to enrich our lives.
And so, we move on. Tuesday was not our night, but tomorrow will still be our day. Let’s all make the most of it.
Before Handel conceded, McBath declared victory Wednesday afternoon. Handel and McBath who had been campaigning against each other since the summer only met each other once-- at their Atlanta Press Club debate last month.
Thursday McBath tweeted this was just the beginning.
"We’ve sent a strong message to the entire country. Absolutely nothing - no politician & no special interest - is more powerful than a mother on a mission," the tweet reads.
Sixth District voters who live in parts of three counties -- Cobb, Fulton and DeKalb -- are rapidly shifting from Republican to Democrat.
It was just in June, 2017, when Handel was elected to represent the district. She defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a special election to replace Tom Price, who left office to serve as President Donald Trump's secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Price served only a few months in the position before resigning in September 2017.
The Handel-Ossoff contest drew the nation's attention and became most expensive congressional election in U.S. history.
Georgia election results: Click here
McBath won a Democrat runoff against Kevin Abel in July, 2018. She is the mother of Jordan Davis, who was shot and killed in 2012 at a Jacksonville, Florida gas station by a man who objected to the loud music Jordan was playing in his car.
In a case that drew national attention, the gunman, Michael Dunn, used Florida's stand-your-ground law as his defense. He was not found guilty of murder in his first trial. In an October 2014 retrial, Dunn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
After her son's death, McBath, who worked for Delta Airlines for 30 years, turned to politics. As national spokesperson for Everytown for Gun Safety, and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, she urged lawmakers to enact "common sense gun violence prevention laws."
