Polls are about to shut within the Georgia 14th Congressional District particular election to elect who will substitute Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress.
The seat has been vacant since January, when Greene resigned following a monthslong public struggle with President Trump over international coverage points and the discharge of paperwork involving the Jeffrey Epstein case. Per week earlier than she introduced her plans to resign, Mr. Trump mentioned he would assist a main problem towards her.
Twenty-two candidates filed to run for the seat, however the quantity dropped to 17 candidates — 12 Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian, and one impartial — all of whom appeared on Tuesday’s poll.
Among the many prime candidates are former District Lawyer Clay Fuller, who was endorsed by Mr. Trump, former Republican state Sen. Colton Moore, and Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Military brigadier normal who misplaced to Greene within the 2024 race for the seat. Harris has raised greater than $4.3 million for the race, with about $290,000 within the financial institution.
Greene has declined to endorse anybody within the race.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Georgia voters enthusiastic to decide on their consultant
Voters in Rome, Georgia, mentioned they anticipate to return and vote in what’s prone to be a runoff election due to the variety of candidates.
“Too many individuals that suppose they’re politicians — some I do know personally that has no expertise, that, , Washington would simply swallow them up prefer it does most individuals,” one voter mentioned.
“What I search for in a candidate is inform me your insurance policies. That is the issue that I’ve with either side at present,” one other voter mentioned. “They assault one another, they hate one another, and so they do not ever get round to telling you what their precise insurance policies are.”
Regardless of voters saying they deliberate to return to the poll field, Floyd County Republican Vice Chair David Guldenschuh mentioned the difficult schedule had celebration heads anxious.
“There’s actual fatigue on the market, and I sense and really feel for them,” he mentioned.
CBS Information Atlanta 
Nonetheless, Guldenschuh mentioned he does not really feel just like the crowded area would harm the GOP’s probability to carry the seat that Greene as soon as occupied.
“I believe that, , we’ve an uncommon scenario right here. All of us appreciated and cherished Marjorie. And when she and Trump had the falling out, we nonetheless supported each right here on this district, although they weren’t getting alongside very nicely. And nonetheless are, as I perceive,” he mentioned. So I do know that this district may be very stable conservative, and from Floyd County north, it is actually conservative. So I do not see an enormous change happening now.”
Vincent Mendes, the chair of the county’s Democratic Occasion, anticipated Harris to get to the runoff, however mentioned it will take effort to flip the seat.
“We must work our butts off to make him win if he will get to a runoff, however that is how we should always deal with each single election,” Mendes mentioned.
An area race with nationwide implications
CBS Information Political Director Fin Gómez mentioned this particular election is about greater than only one seat in Congress. It is being watched by politicians throughout the state and across the nation as an early indicator of the place the Republican Occasion and its voters stand proper now.
Gómez mentioned this race may supply one of many first actual assessments of Mr. Trump’s affect inside the celebration, with the president throwing his assist behind Fuller.
The outcomes may present whether or not the Republican base continues to be absolutely aligned with him after his rift with Greene.
The important thing query, in line with Gómez: Does the president nonetheless have the affect that he did again in 2024?
“I do suppose that if Clay Fuller does nicely, even when he does not clear the edge that is wanted to keep away from a runoff, I believe that bodes nicely for the president, as a result of which means Republican voters are nonetheless adhering to what the president says, and it exhibits the affect that that the president nonetheless has on the Republican Occasion, together with in northwest Georgia,” he informed CBS Information Atlanta.
If one other candidate, resembling Moore, pulls off a win, it may sign the Republican base is not at all times following the president’s lead.
“If Fuller doesn’t once I suppose it will shock plenty of the Trump devoted who actually adhere to who he helps in these kind of elections, but when, for example, if it does not go Fuller’s method and Moore picks off this win, I believe what you might be seeing is that the bottom could be a bit of extra unpredictable, much like what we noticed maybe in 2010.”
Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos 
Particular election marks begin of busy marketing campaign stretch
With how crowded the sector is, it is rather seemingly that this will probably be solely step one to picking Greene’s substitute. Georgia’s particular election guidelines require a candidate to win a majority of votes. If that threshold isn’t met, the highest two candidates will go on to the April 7 runoff.
Whoever ultimately wins the seat will serve out the remainder of Greene’s time period — a comparatively brief time in workplace. In the event that they wish to stay within the seat, they will need to run once more within the Could 19 celebration primaries. That race may presumably go to a celebration runoff, which might happen on June 16. The winners of the primaries will advance to the final election in November.
Final week, 10 Republicans, together with Fuller and Moore, certified to run in November’s election for a full two-year time period. Harris additionally certified, the only Democrat who did in what has been rated as essentially the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook dinner Political Report.
Mr. Trump carried the 14th Congressional District with 68% of the vote within the 2024 election, with Greene receiving over 64%. Republicans need that rightward development to proceed within the district. Democrats are hoping that the potential GOP infighting and crowded area may assist them safe a shock electoral win, shrinking the already-narrow margins within the U.S. Home of Representatives.
Republicans presently management 218 Home seats to the Democrats’ 214.
