Republicans held onto former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House seat on Tuesday.
Republican Clay Fuller defeated Democrat Shawn Harris in a special runoff election in the state’s 14th Congressional District, giving the GOP another vote for their narrow House majority.
But his margin of victory is on track to be less than half of President Donald Trump’s 37-point win in 2024.
That continues a broader trend since Trump returned to office last year: Democrats have regularly overperformed in races up and down the ballot, from gubernatorial contests and House special elections to state legislative races.
The northwest Georgia district is the reddest in the Peach State, and the slimmer margin had Democrats bullish on their ambitious plans to flip seats in November’s midterms.
Harris ran ahead of Democrats’ recent performances in the district even though he was vastly outspent in the race. GOP-aligned outside groups, combined with Fuller’s campaign, spent more than $1.2 million on the runoff, according to AdImpact, while Harris didn’t receive any air support from national Democratic groups and spent just $300,000. In the short term, Fuller’s win is a boon for Speaker Mike Johnson, who will gain a safe vote for the GOP caucus.
Fuller, who had Trump’s endorsement, came in second behind Harris in March’s first round of voting, but that was in large part due to a crowded GOP field that split votes.
