What's at stake in the 6th District race?

From a crowded field of 18 candidates, Georgia's 6th Congressional District race is down to the final two.

On Tuesday, the eyes of the nation will be on Georgia, for a live debate in what has become the most expensive race of its kind in U.S. history.

This race is not only important to voters in the 6th District and in Georgia. It’s also getting a lot of national exposure.

When Rep. Tom Price left his seat in the 6th District, to take over as the nation's new secretary of health and human services, replacement candidates quickly emerged.

It was a crowded field of 18, all hoping to become Georgia's newest member of Congress.

The 6th District, covering parts of Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties, has been a Republican stronghold for decades.

Price's predecessors include now Sen. Johnny Isakson and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

On April 18, the field narrowed down to two, with Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel, winning the top two spots for a place in the runoff.

"Very pleased with the result and ready to fight on into June,” Ossoff said.

"Very exciting and what happened last night is very encouraging,” Handel added.

The eyes of the nation, particularly in Washington, quickly turned to Georgia.

Money's been pouring in from around the country, making this the most expensive congressional race in history.

Here's what's at stake:

Out of the 435 seats in the House, 239 are currently held by Republicans. There are 193 Democrats and three seats, including the one in Georgia, are vacant.

With a win in Georgia, Republicans are hoping to solidify their stronghold in Congress, while Democrats are hoping to make a statement in a GOP-dominated district.

Some political insiders say this could be a litmus test for President Donald Trump's performance so far, and the results could foreshadow what will happen in the 2018 elections.

6TH DISTRICT DEBATE

On Tuesday, WSB-TV will hold the first debate and the only one that will air LIVE in prime-time.

The debate will be hosted by Channel 2 Action News anchor Justin Farmer and will include as panelists WSB Radio’s Condace Pressley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein and WSB-TV political reporter Richard Elliot.

The debate will air LIVE on Channel 2, WSBTV.com and the official WSB-TV Facebook page.

Cox Media Group