Three months after the resignation of Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress, following a public dispute with President Donald Trump, voters in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District are set to choose her successor.
This special runoff election marks the district’s second trip to the polls in less than a month, as a previous special election failed to produce a majority winner among 17 candidates.
The outcome of this runoff is significant for the closely divided U.S. House, where Republicans currently maintain a narrow 217-214 majority.
The balance is further complicated by an additional seat held by a former Republican who declared independence in March, leaving two seats vacant.
In the initial special election, Democratic tecandidate Shawn Harris emerged as the frontrunner, with the most votes, narrowly leading Republican Clay Fuller by about 2 percentage points.
Harris, a retired Army brigadier general, benefited from a split Republican vote that saw a dozen candidates dividing support.
Check out Postindustrial’s recent conversation with Harris
Fuller, currently a district attorney, holds Trump’s endorsement, adding weight to his candidacy. Both contenders are also vying for their party’s nomination in the upcoming May 19 primary ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Historically, the 14th District has leaned heavily Republican, with Trump securing 68% of votes in the 2024 election. Harris, who previously lost to Greene in 2024, garnered 37% in the recent special election—a slight improvement over his 2024 performance.
To secure the seat, Harris must significantly outperform the mid-30% range that Democrats have typically achieved in recent general elections within the district.
However, financially, Harris has a marked advantage, having raised millions more than Fuller.
While Trump’s endorsement is expected to bolster Fuller’s campaign, special election turnout historically falls short of that in presidential elections, and runoff elections experience even lower participation.
