Story highlights In three weeks, Georgia will hold a special election to replace former Rep. Tom Price

Democrats could pick off a House seat that has been in GOP hands for decades

Washington (CNN) National Republicans are racing into the northern Atlanta suburbs amid fears that an energized anti-Donald Trump resistance and a disengaged conservative electorate could allow Democrat Jon Ossoff to pick off a House seat that has been in GOP hands for decades.

The moves come three weeks before a special election to replace former Republican Rep. Tom Price, who Trump tapped as secretary of Health and Human Services.

The National Republican Congressional Committee -- the House GOP's campaign arm -- is launching cable television, radio and digital ads and is placing five field staffers into the district next week, according to a GOP operative familiar with the efforts.

The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, already has six staffers on the ground, and plans to increase that to 15 before the April 18 contest, the Republican operative said. The RNC has opened one field office in the district and soon plans to open a second.

The efforts are all geared toward increasing Republican turnout -- rather than supporting any one of the 11 GOP candidates in the 18-person field.

Read More