Karen Handel 'eager to be out of national spotlight'

Karen Handel blows a kiss with her husband Steve looking on while making an early appearance to thank her supporters after the first returns came in during her election night party in the 6th District race with Jon Ossoff on Tuesday.

ATLANTA — Karen Handel has been sworn in after her victory in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.

Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in the most expensive congressional election in history, with spending expected to have topped $50 million.

Handel, the first female Republican to be elected to a congressional seat in Georgia, was sworn in at a ceremony Monday evening at the U.S. Capitol.

Handel, a former Georgia secretary of state, ultimately won about 52 percent of the vote according to unofficial returns in the historically conservative district.

Handel told Channel 2 Action News that she looks forward to getting to work and "remains humbled by this extraordinary privilege."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.