Georgia Special Election Highlights Republican Divisions

Voters to choose successor to Marjorie Taylor Greene in closely watched House race

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Georgia voters head to the polls on Tuesday to choose the successor to Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene in a closely watched U.S. House special election seen as a test of President Donald Trump's sway in the state's most conservative district. The race has drawn outsized national attention as it offers an early measure of Trump's grip on his base in an area that has been a stronghold of his Make America Great Again movement.

Why it matters

This election is seen as an important indicator of Trump's continued influence within the Republican Party, especially in a district that has been a bastion of MAGA support. The outcome could signal whether Trump's endorsement still carries significant weight with the party's base.

The details

With 17 candidates in the race, no-one is expected to win a majority, setting up an April 7 runoff between the top two finishers. Trump has endorsed Clay Fuller, a former district attorney, but Colton Moore, a hard-right former state senator who calls himself 'Trump's #1 Defender,' is also making a play for the president's activist base. The winner will serve through the end of 2026 but must immediately campaign for the full two-year term starting January 2027.

  • The special election is being held on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
  • If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff election will be held on April 7, 2026.

The players

Marjorie Taylor Greene

A Republican firebrand who previously held the seat in Georgia's 14th Congressional District.

Clay Fuller

A former district attorney for four northwest Georgia counties, endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Colton Moore

A hard-right former state senator who calls himself 'Trump's #1 Defender' and is also running for the seat.

Shawn Harris

A Democrat who has sought to peel off disillusioned Trump voters in the conservative district.

Donald Trump

The former president, whose endorsement of Clay Fuller is seen as a test of his continued influence within the Republican Party.

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What they’re saying

“This is an interesting case to see how powerful Trump's hold over the party is in that particular district.”

— Kerwin Swint, Political science professor at Kennesaw State University

“But the activists, the people who are most likely to get out and vote, they know we were Trump's number one defender in Georgia.”

— Colton Moore

What’s next

If no candidate wins a majority in the March 10 special election, a runoff will be held on April 7, 2026 between the top two finishers.

The takeaway

This closely watched special election in Georgia's 14th Congressional District will serve as an early test of former President Trump's continued influence within the Republican Party, particularly in a district that has been a stronghold of his MAGA movement.