Georgia 14th District results: AP calls races for Fuller

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Shawn Harris (left) and Clay Fuller (right) (Campaign photos)

ROME, Ga. - The Associated Press has called the race in the special election runoff to fill the remainder of former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s term for publican Clayton Fuller.

The AP made the call in Georgia's 14th Congressional District just after 8:20 p.m. with Fuller taking just under 54% of the vote.

Counting begins in 14th District

What we know:

Voting concluded Tuesday evening following a day of steady turnout at polling sites like the Watson Government Complex in Paulding County. The race features Republican Clay Fuller, a prosecutor endorsed by President Trump, and Democratic challenger Shawn Harris, a retired Army veteran. The seat has been vacant since Greene resigned from her position in January. While the district is a long-standing Republican stronghold, Harris finished first in the March primary, though he did not earn enough votes to avoid today's runoff.

What we don't know:

It is currently unknown how long the counting process will take or when a winner will be officially declared. While Republicans are favored to hold the seat, it remains to be seen if Harris’s bipartisan coalition strategy was enough to flip the district. Final turnout numbers for the 10-county region have not yet been released.

Candidates react as polls close

What they're saying:

Both candidates spent the final hours of the race making their closing arguments to voters.

"President Trump needs a fighter on Capitol Hill to move his agenda forward," Fuller said earlier today. "It's time to send a fighter for Northwest Georgia and the hard working people here up to Capitol Hill and get that fighter up here to make a difference for the communities here in Northwest Georgia."

Harris, meanwhile, expressed confidence in the broad base of support he built during the campaign. "Democrats, independents and Republicans have came to my town hall and actually asked me the hard questions and those questions have been answered," Harris said. "And that's why we have the trust of the people."

National eyes on Northwest Georgia

Big picture view:

Though this is a local special election, the race has captured national attention as a potential bellwether for the political climate. National observers are watching to see if issues like the economy, immigration, and foreign policy influenced voters in this deep-red district. Because the balance of power in the House of Representatives is narrow, every seat remains vital to both parties' agendas.

Heading into the runoff, Republicans had a three-seat lead over Democrats with 217-214 with one independent, who still leans conservative. Greene’s seat was one of three that were currently vacant. 

New Jersey’s 11th District, which previously seated a Democrat, and California’s 1st District, which previously seated a Republican, are both set for special elections. The former is scheduled for the end of April with the latter being set for early August. 

What's next:

Once the results are finalized and a winner is certified, the victor will head to Washington, D.C., to represent the district for the remainder of the current term. Regardless of tonight's outcome, both Fuller and Harris have already qualified for the May primary, meaning a rematch in November remains a possibility.