Republican Clay Fuller has won the special election runoff in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District to replace former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The Tuesday, April 7, victory dashed Democratic hopes for an upset in a district long considered a Republican stronghold.
Fuller, a district attorney and Air National Guard veteran, resigned his prosecutorial role in northwest Georgia to run for the seat.
His campaign gained momentum after receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump in February, which boosted his profile among a crowded field of Republican contenders.
In the March 10 primary, neither Fuller nor Democrat Shawn Harris secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Harris, a retired Army brigadier general and cattle farmer, finished first with about 37 percent of the vote, while Fuller followed with nearly 35 percent.
More than 20 candidates competed in the all-party primary, splitting the conservative vote and sending the race into a runoff.
National Democrats poured resources into Harris’s campaign, raising nearly $6.5 million compared to Fuller’s $1.2 million.
Harris also received campaign support from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock.
Republican-aligned groups spent more than $1.5 million on advertising and outreach to bolster Fuller’s turnout in the heavily conservative district.
Trump’s endorsement boost for Fuller
Fuller’s win is a relief for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who can afford to lose only one vote in the chamber given the GOP’s slim majority.
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The outcome ensures Republicans retain control of a seat Trump carried by nearly 37 points in the 2024 presidential election. Greene herself defeated Harris by nearly 30 points in that same cycle.
At his election night watch party in March, Fuller emphasized the importance of Trump’s backing.
“The endorsement from President Trump made a difference in this race,” he said, expressing confidence that he would prevail in the runoff.
The endorsement also helps Fuller avoid being added to a growing list of Trump-backed candidates who have recently lost elections.
Last month, Republican Jon Maples, endorsed by Trump in January, lost a special election for a Florida state House seat that includes Mar-a-Lago.
In North Carolina, State Senate leader Phil Berger narrowly lost his primary despite Trump’s support. Fuller’s projected victory provides a counterpoint to those setbacks.
Special elections, particularly runoffs, often feature low turnout, making voter enthusiasm a decisive factor.
Fuller’s campaign leaned heavily on Trump’s endorsement to energize conservative voters in the district, which stretches from the northwest suburbs of Atlanta to the Alabama and Tennessee borders.
Marjorie Taylor Greene exits
The seat became vacant after former representative Greene resigned in January following a public break with Trump.
Once a prominent ally of the president, Greene criticized his foreign-policy focus and questioned his implementation of the “America First” agenda.
Also Read: Trump’s Past Anti-War Remarks Resurface as Marjorie Taylor Greene Questions His Iran Strategy
Her resignation statement referenced the federal investigation involving Jeffrey Epstein and accused Trump of turning against her.
Greene’s departure triggered the special election, drawing more than 20 candidates into the race.
Harris, who previously challenged Greene in 2024, sought to capitalize on Democratic momentum and national support.
Fuller, meanwhile, positioned himself as a loyal Trump ally, defending the administration’s policies on Iran and the economy.
Despite Harris’s strong fundraising and campaign appearances with national Democrats, the district’s Republican lean proved decisive.
The race also sets the stage for the May 19 primary for the full term. Both Fuller and Harris have qualified for the ballot, along with several candidates from the March special election. Harris will have another opportunity to challenge Fuller, though Republicans remain favored in the district.
