Republican Karen Handel was the projected winner of Tuesdays special election for Georgias 6th Congressional District, according to CNN , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and NBC. Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a traditional GOP stronghold that polling suggested could be in play this time around.

The outcome is especially painful for Democrats who viewed Ossoffs candidacy as a prime opportunity to land a blow against President Donald Trump .

Handel, a 55-year-old former Georgia secretary of state, replaces Republican Tom Price, who left Congress to become Trumps secretary of health and human services.

Ossoff, a 30-year-old documentary filmmaker and former congressional aide, was ultimately unable to peel away enough anti-Trump Republicans or mobilize enough new Democratic-leaning voters to overcome the districts deep-seated Republican leanings.

It was really all about the Republican candidate Karen Handel getting her Republican base to show up in force, said Kerwin Swint, chair of the political science department at Kennesaw State University, just outside Atlanta. Thats what made the difference. Jon Ossoff was successful in eating into that base but obviously not quite enough to put him over the top.