Can a Democrat Flip Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Seat? Retired General Shawn Harris Tries in Northwest Georgia

ROME, Ga. — For nearly three decades living in conservative northwest Georgia, Kimberly Seals learned to keep her liberal views to herself. On a recent Saturday she was surprised to find hundreds gathered in Rome to hear Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaign for Democratic congressional hopeful Shawn Harris.

Harris, a farmer and retired Army brigadier general, is mounting a second bid for Georgia's 14th Congressional District seat left vacant when Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned in January after a falling-out with former President Donald Trump. Harris finished first in the March 10 special election and now faces Republican district attorney Clay Fuller in an April 7 runoff.

Democratic candidate Shawn Harris talks with a voter on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Rome, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlotte Kramon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Supporters say Harris' blend of military service, working-farm roots and retail politics — walking neighborhoods, talking groceries and pocketbook issues — helps him connect with voters who typically lean Republican.

Local Appeal and National Attention

Wearing blue jeans and orange sneakers, Harris has been meeting voters door to door and at neighborhood events. He served 40 years in the military, including infantry command in Afghanistan, and retired as a brigadier general in the Army National Guard. He lives and works on a cattle farm in Rockmart.

Democrat Shawn Harris speaks to the media after learning he would advance to a runoff election against Republican Clay Filler during an election night watch party, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Rome, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

'I went right back to work with my hands and built a cattle farm that I live on every day,' Harris told supporters. 'That says to the hardworking people here in northwest Georgia that Shawn Harris works hard just like them out in the hot sun and I get the results.'

At the Rome rally, Buttigieg urged optimism about shifting political attitudes. 'I believe that there is no such thing as a permanently red district or state or town,' he said, arguing that recent special-election surprises show openings for Democrats.

What Voters and Strategists Say

Some local voters say Harris talks about the issues that matter to them — rising grocery prices and the effects of tariffs — and that his background makes him relatable. Floyd County Democratic Chair Vincent Mendes said even some Republican patients of his are considering Harris, suggesting voter fatigue with headline-driven representation.

Republican Clay Fuller speaks to supporters after learning he would advance to a runoff election during an election night watch party, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Rome, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

But political consultants and Republican strategists caution against reading too much into a low-turnout special election. 'It's just too solid a red district,' said conservative commentator and former state Rep. Buzz Brockway, while Jay Morgan, a former Georgia Republican Party executive director, described Fuller as a strong, conventional Republican pick likely to consolidate the party's support.

Fuller’s campaign manager emphasized the district's loyalty to former President Trump and to Fuller as a law-enforcement candidate. Meanwhile, Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey urged that Harris' momentum could lift Democratic turnout statewide ahead of the November midterms.

Republican candidate Clay Fuller speaks to people during an election night watch party for Georgia's 14th Congressional District, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Rome, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Harris' campaign argues that his veteran credentials and farming background help him bridge partisan divides; Republican opponents warn the region's conservative tilt remains deep. Consultants on both sides say turnout and November dynamics will ultimately decide whether this seat is competitive beyond the runoff.

Reporting: Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.