Georgia Special Election Highlights GOP Divide

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

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Georgia voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to choose a successor to Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene in a closely watched U.S. House special election. The race is seen as a test of former President Donald Trump's influence in the state's most conservative district, with Trump endorsing one candidate while another Trump loyalist runs against him. 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.

Why it matters

This special election 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. A strong showing by Trump's endorsed candidate would underscore his continued influence, while a weaker performance could point to a loosening of his hold on the MAGA faction of the Republican Party.

The details

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 running and making a play for the president's activist base. Democrat Shawn Harris is also running, seeking to peel off disillusioned Trump voters. The winner will serve through the end of 2026 but must immediately campaign for the full two-year term starting January 2027.

  • Voters will head to the polls 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

The Republican firebrand who previously held the seat and has stepped aside.

Clay Fuller

The former district attorney endorsed by former President Trump.

Colton Moore

A hard-right former state senator who calls himself 'Trump's #1 Defender'.

Shawn Harris

The Democratic candidate seeking to peel off disillusioned Trump voters.

Donald Trump

The former president whose endorsement and influence in the district is being tested.

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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 (Reuters)

“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 (Reuters)

What’s next

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

The takeaway

This special election will provide an early test of former President Trump's continued influence over the Republican base in a deeply conservative district that has been a stronghold of his MAGA movement.