6th District Race: Former Gov. Barnes Endorses Jon Ossoff

MARIETTA, GA -- Georgia's most recent Democratic governor has thrown his support behind a candidate hoping to flip a Congressional seat from Republican control.

Gov. Roy Barnes on Wednesday endorsed Jon Ossoff, a Democratic candidate for Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

Ossoff is one of 18 candidates seeking to replace Tom Price in the seat, which represents north Fulton and parts of Cobb and DeKalb counties in the U.S. House of Representatives. The special election for the race is scheduled for April 18, and early voting kicks off Monday, March 27.

“Jon has been a refreshing breath of air in an otherwise stale environment of politics,” said Barnes. “He’s united us as Democrats here in Georgia and around the nation. Jon has a positive message about growing metro Atlanta’s economy into a high-tech hub to ensure we are creating the new jobs of the new economy. He we also put a laser focus on our transportation issues and work to protect us against threats to our civil rights and national security. He doesn’t just talk about problems, he offers solutions. I believe he will be a very effective member of Congress.”

Ossoff noted it was an "honor" to have the support of the former governor, a public servant who "distinguished himself as a true statesman whose legacy is standing up for Georgia’s economic development and taking courageous moral stands."

"One of the things I’ve learned from Gov. Barnes is how important it is to focus on our community’s economic development, and what we can do to attract jobs and investment in high tech, bio tech and research sectors so we can become the Silicon Valley of the South," he added.

The endorsement comes on the heels of results from a poll indicating Ossoff continues to lead among likely voters considering candidates in the race.

The poll, conducted March 15-16 by zpolitics/Clout Research, found that Ossoff has increased his lead to 41 percent while former Republican Secretary of State Karen Handel and former Johns Creek City Councilman Bob Gray were locked in a dead heat at 16 percent.

Photo credit: Daniel Schwartz, Jon Ossoff for Congress