22 candidates are vying in Georgia to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress

ATLANTA (AP) — A prosecutor, a state senator and a garbage trucking entrepreneur are among 22 candidates vying to succeed former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for a Georgia congressional seat.

He watches: Marjorie Taylor Greene talks about President Trump as she prepares to leave Congress

A total of 17 Republicans had filed to run for the seat by the time qualifying closed on Wednesday, as did three Democrats, a liberal and an independent.

The candidates will compete on the same all-party ballot on March 10. If no one wins a majority, the top two candidates will go into a runoff four weeks later on April 7.

Greene resigned from Congress earlier this month after five turbulent years.

Here’s a look at who’s running and some of the unusual dynamics of the election:

What does the area look like?

The district extends from Atlanta’s northwestern suburbs through all or part of 10 counties to the Tennessee state line. Ranked as the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook Political Report, voters there embraced Greene’s hard-right positions in 2020 when she parachuted into the district after starting a campaign in a more competitive district near Atlanta.

What Republicans are running?

One of the top Republicans in the race is Clay Fuller of Trenton. He was the district attorney in four counties along the Tennessee state line until he filed to run. Fuller finished fourth in the 2020 Republican primary, which Green won before being appointed district attorney in 2023 and winning a full term in 2024.

Another high-profile GOP candidate is Colton Moore of Trenton, who was a state representative and then a state senator. Moore, an auctioneer, cultivated a right-wing following as a lawmaker who aligned himself with the Freedom Caucus.

Nikki Lama was a Dalton City Council member first elected in 2023. He promised to be a “next generation conservative.”

Fuller, Lama and Moore were required under Georgia law to resign their seats to run for another office.

Already buying TV ads is Brian Stover of Dallas. He is a former Paulding County commissioner who owns a trash hauling business and may be able to self-finance.

There are also longtime party activists including Jim Tully, former 14th District Republican chair and former field representative for Greene, as well as Trey Kelly, an insurance and financial consultant and former chairman of the Fulton County Republican Party.

Other Republicans include:

• Bo Brown, a risk engineer from Silver Creek.
• Christian Hurd, former Marine from Rocky Face.
• Eric Cunningham is a railroad supply sales representative from Paulding County who finished third in the 2022 Republican primary, which Green won.
• James Marty Brown of Tunnel Hill, volunteer firefighter and business owner.
• Jared Craig, a lawyer from Newnan, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the south Atlanta district in 2022.
• Jennifer Jay Turnside of Chickamauga, an Army veteran, farmer and high school ROTC instructor.
• Larry Healey, a self-employed man from Catoosa County.
• Megan Strickland, a travel consultant from Powder Springs.
• Reagan Box of Armucci, who was running for state Senate before switching to the 14th District race.
• Starr Black of Kennesaw, a former federal employee, was already challenging Greene.
• Tom Gray, a pastor from Powder Springs.

Who other than Republicans are running?

Sean Harris, the Democratic candidate who lost the race to Greene in 2024, is seeking the seat. The retired Army general and Cedartown farmer raised nearly $1.3 million from May to September of last year to prepare for a 2026 challenge against Green. Also running for the Democratic position are retired political writer and business owner Jim Davis of Floyd County and patent representative John Hobbs of Dallas.

Since the special election is not limited to Democrats, voters will also be able to choose from Libertarian Andrew Underwood of Rome and Independent Rob “Rush” Ruszkowski of Rising Fawn.

How does this special election fit in with other 2026 elections?

The overall race for the seat is likely to be an exhausting marathon. Since the regular elections for this seat will be held in November, it is possible that the candidate will have to contest several elections by the end of the year. This includes the first round of special elections on March 10, and the April 7 runoff that will follow. But qualifying for the party’s primaries for the regular elections will be in the first week of March.

This means that most of the candidates running in the special election in March will likely qualify for the party primary in May before their fate is known. Democrats or Republicans will have to run again in party primaries on May 19, and possibly in party runoffs on June 16, before advancing to the general election in November.