The Latest: Trump Congratulates Handel On Twitter

DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) — The Latest on Georgia's 6th District Congressional race (all times local):

6:05 a.m.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter to celebrate Republican Karen Handel's victory in a Georgia special congressional race that became an expensive national proxy for Washington wars ahead of next year's midterm elections.

In a Tuesday night tweet, Trump congratulated Handel and said "we are all very proud of you!"

In another tweet, Trump also congratulated Republican Ralph Norman, who won a special congressional election in South Carolina.

And in a third tweet, the president gloated over those wins and other recent Republican wins, saying "the special elections are over and those that want to MAKE AMERICAN GREAT AGAIN are 5 and 0! All the Fake News, all the money spent = 0."

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3:10 a.m.

Republicans have some breathing room after Karen Handel won a nationally watched congressional election in Georgia to avoid a major upset ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

Her victory Tuesday over Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia's 6th Congressional District means Republicans held all four of their seats that were up for grabs in special elections this spring.

Democrats still managed narrower margins than usual in all four districts, and they hope that bodes well for next year's midterms.

The Georgia race ends as the most expensive House campaign in U.S. history, with a tab that may exceed $50 million.

Handel becomes the first Republican woman to represent Georgia in Congress.

Ossoff becomes the latest Democrat to run a widely complemented campaign in a Republican-leaning state, yet still lose.