In a Monday, March 27, 2017 photo, Democratic congressional candidate Jon Ossoff is seen with supporters outside of the East Roswell Branch Library in Roswell, Ga., on the first day of early voting. Ossoff, 30, is the leading Democratic candidate in a typically conservative Georgia congressional district. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)

(CNSNews.com) - The polls are open in Georgia's 6th congressional district, where 18 candidates -- including 11 Republicans and five Democrats -- are competing for the suburban Atlanta seat once held by conservative Republicans Newt Gingrich and Tom Price.



The special election to fill Price's former seat (he is now HHS Secretary) is viewed by some as a referendum on the fledgling administration of Donald Trump -- and a harbinger of the 2018 midterm elections.



"Everyone's looking for national implications, but all politics is local," says the man on whom Democrats are pinning their hopes for victory.



Jon Ossoff, 30, has raised more than $8.3 million, most of it from outside his district, press reports said.



But he can't vote for himself today, since he lives outside of the district he wants to represent.



Ossoff spoke about that Tuesday morning on CNN's "New Day," after urging other voters to "make themselves heard."

"I grew up in this district. I grew up in this community," Ossoff said. "No one knew there was going to be an election coming. I've been living with Alicia, my girlfriend of 12 years, down by Emory University where she's a full-time medical student. And as soon as she concludes her medical training, I'll be ten minutes back up the street into the district where I grew up. But I want to support her and her career and do right by her."

"So when are you going to marry her?" CNN's Alisyn Camerota asked Ossoff:

"Well, I don't want to give anything away," he said, cracking just a little smile. "But I think I can reasonably say that's more of a personal question. I'll give you a call when I have something to announce."

The polls close at 7 p.m. in Georgia, and if none of the 18 candidates gets a majority of the vote, a runoff election would take place on June 20.