Trump-Endorsed Candidate and Democrat Head to Runoff in Special Election to Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

The special election for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District is heading to a runoff next month after no candidate secured more than 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary. The contest will determine who fills the seat vacated by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January with a year left in her term following a public disagreement with President Donald Trump over the Epstein files.

The April 7 runoff will pit Trump-endorsed Republican District Attorney Clay Fuller against retired Army Brigadier General Shawn Harris. Fuller received 34.2% of the vote, while Harris led with 39.9% in the crowded field of 17 candidates.

The stakes are particularly high for Republicans, who currently hold a razor-thin 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives. With such a narrow margin, the GOP cannot afford to lose this traditionally Republican stronghold that Trump carried by 37 points in the 2024 presidential election.

Despite Harris’s fundraising advantage—having raised $4.3 million, the most among all candidates—Fuller’s campaign has gained momentum through his association with President Trump. The district attorney recently appeared alongside Trump at a campaign event in Rome, Georgia, where he described himself as a “MAGA warrior.”

“I think we’ve been very successful in staying with our message discipline that President Trump truly matters in Georgia 14,” Fuller told Fox News Digital. “His support has meant the world to me and meant the world to the voters.”

In addition to Trump’s endorsement, Fuller has secured backing from the Club for Growth, a powerful and well-funded fiscally conservative organization known for its influence in Republican primaries.

Former Congresswoman Greene, once one of Trump’s most vocal allies in the House before their falling out, has remained neutral in the race to choose her successor. This neutrality marks a significant shift in her political positioning, as she was previously considered among the president’s strongest supporters in Congress.

Former state Senator Colton Moore, who also positioned himself as a strong Trump supporter and drew backing from far-right voters, finished third in the primary with 10.9% of the vote.

The special election’s unusual format placed all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, on the same ballot. Of the 17 contenders, twelve were Republicans and three were Democrats. Since no candidate achieved the required majority, the top two vote-getters advanced to the runoff.

Fuller expressed confidence that Republicans would unite behind his candidacy for the runoff, emphasizing the importance of keeping the seat in GOP hands.

“Everybody in the field understands that a Democrat cannot represent Georgia 14. It would be a tragedy for Georgia 14, a tragedy for the MAGA movement. And we’re going to rally around as a party and go and win this thing and defeat Shawn Harris,” Fuller said Tuesday evening.

The northwestern Georgia district has been reliably Republican for years, making it an unlikely target for Democratic pickup. However, with the House majority hanging in the balance by just four seats, both parties recognize the importance of every congressional contest in the current political environment.

The winner of the April 7 runoff will serve the remainder of Greene’s term, which runs through January 2027, and will immediately face the challenges of joining Congress mid-session during a contentious presidential election year.