Runoff set in Georgia’s 14th District as Trump-backed Republican advances

Georgia’s special election to replace former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is heading to a runoff, with Republican Clay Fuller set to face Democrat Shawn Harris after neither candidate secured an outright majority.

With nearly all votes counted, Harris narrowly led the first round with 37.3 percent, or 43,241 votes. Fuller followed closely with 34.9 percent, or 40,388 votes. Because no candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold, the two will compete in a runoff scheduled for April 7.

The race has drawn national attention as an early test of President Donald Trump’s influence within the Republican Party. Fuller surged ahead of a crowded field of GOP candidates after receiving Trump’s endorsement in February, though the backing was not enough to deliver an outright victory in the multi-candidate race.

Speaking to reporters at an election watch party, Fuller framed the outcome as a positive step toward consolidating Republican support.

“We know that the endorsement from President Trump made a difference in this race, and we’re going to go and win it,” he said. “It’s time that the Republican vote unites and gets a representative to Capitol Hill as soon as possible.”

Trump also celebrated the result in a message posted online, congratulating Fuller for performing strongly in a race that included a dozen Republican contenders.

“Congratulations to Clay Fuller, of Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, on getting such a high percentage of the vote with 12 Republicans running,” Trump wrote.

“We want to make the next vote ‘TOO BIG TO RIG.’ Clay will be a GREAT Congressman — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

The special election was triggered earlier this year when Greene resigned from Congress following a public break with Trump. Once a close ally of the president, Greene had increasingly criticised his second term in office, arguing that the administration was focusing too heavily on foreign policy rather than domestic economic concerns.

She was also among four Republicans who signed a discharge petition calling for the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a move that further strained her relationship with party leadership.

For Republicans, the seat is strategically important as the party seeks to maintain its slim majority in the House of Representatives. The district itself is considered safely Republican territory: Trump carried it by 37 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

That advantage makes Fuller the favourite in the upcoming runoff, though the extended contest means the seat will remain vacant for another month at a time when every vote matters in Washington.

Fuller entered the race with a relatively strong local profile after serving as an elected district attorney. His campaign also benefited from significant outside support, with more than $1.8 million spent on advertisements backing his candidacy — more than double the spending supporting his closest Republican rival.

Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired US Army brigadier general, has attempted to frame the race as a rare opportunity for Democrats in a district that typically votes overwhelmingly Republican.

“Yes, it’s ruby red,” Harris said. “It won’t turn blue, but it’ll definitely turn pink.”

Harris previously challenged Greene in the 2024 election and lost by nearly 30 percentage points. This time, he has described the special election as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to flip the seat.

Among the three Democrats on the ballot, Harris emerged as the clear frontrunner and captured the majority of the party’s vote. His campaign has emphasised economic concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, while also presenting him as a political outsider.

Financially, Harris has run a well-funded campaign, raising more than $4 million since announcing his candidacy again in mid-2025 — more than four times the amount raised by his nearest Republican competitor.

The April runoff will determine who serves the remainder of Greene’s term, which runs until January.