Special Election Scheduled for Georgia's 14th Congressional District
Voters in northwest Georgia will participate in a special election on March 10 to elect a successor for U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Governor Brian Kemp established this election date on Tuesday, following Greene's resignation from Congress.
Candidate Field Emerges
The race to fill Georgia's 14th Congressional District seat is attracting numerous candidates. Nineteen Republicans have indicated their intention to run or are considering it. These individuals include state Senator Colton Moore of Trenton, District Attorney Clayton Fuller, and Paulding County businessman Brian Stover. Reagan Box of Armuchee, who was previously campaigning for the Republican Senate nomination, entered the 14th District race in December.
Democratic candidates include Shawn Harris, who was the Democratic nominee against Greene in 2024, and Clarence Blalock of Hiram. Independent candidate Rob Ruszkowski of Rising Fawn is also seeking the seat.
Election Process and District Overview
All candidates will appear on a single ballot on March 10. If no candidate secures a majority of the votes, a runoff election between the top two finishers will occur four weeks later on April 7.
The 14th Congressional District encompasses Atlanta's northwest suburbs and extends through all or parts of 10 counties to the Tennessee state line. It is characterized by the Cook Political Report as the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia.
Greene's Congressional Tenure and Resignation
Marjorie Taylor Greene concluded her five-year tenure in Congress as a prominent member of the House of Representatives. She maintained alignment with Donald Trump after his 2020 election loss and promoted claims regarding the 2020 election outcome. During Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, Greene participated in his rallies across the country.
Greene's relationship with Trump reportedly experienced strain last year. Disagreements arose when Trump and other Republicans expressed opposition to her potential campaigns for U.S. Senate or governor. Greene also voiced criticism regarding Trump's foreign policy stances and his approach to the release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Following these developments, Trump indicated potential support for a primary challenge against Greene, and she announced her resignation a week later.
Impact on House Composition
Greene's resignation, along with the recent death of Republican U.S. Representative Doug LaMalfa of California, has further narrowed the Republican Party's majority in the House of Representatives. The current distribution of seats stands at 218 for Republicans and 213 for Democrats.
Qualification and Future Elections
Candidates are scheduled to qualify for the special election during a three-day period next week. Those intending to serve beyond the remainder of Greene's term will be required to qualify again for the general election between March 2 and March 6, prior to the special election. Voters will return to the polls for party primaries for the November general election on May 19.