Veteran Shawn Harris spent 4 a long time within the navy and has his sights on a brand new mission: representing Georgia residents in america Congress.
The retired Army brigadier normal is seeking to pull a significant political upset in lower than per week as he faces off in opposition to Republican Clay Fuller in a runoff election to switch discontented Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She resigned from Congress on Jan. 5, 2026, following a public feud with President Donald Trump for causes related to the dearth of releasing the Epstein information, amongst different variations in opinion.
Both Harris or Fuller, a Trump-endorsed district lawyer and U.S. Air Nationwide Guard veteran, will likely be victorious on April 7. Neither candidate surpassed the 50% vote threshold in the course of the March 10 particular election, when Harris claimed roughly 37.3% of the vote and Fuller claimed 34.9%. Colton Moore, a Republican eradicated from rivalry, garnered 11.6% of the vote.
Though Harris faces an uphill battle resulting from regional demographics and Republican dominance, he expressed confidence about his probabilities in an interview with Army.com.
“We’re feeling excellent,” Harris advised Army.com. “This election is a turnout election. Proper now right here in Georgia, we’re within the holidays, the holy week. However on high of that, we’ve additionally obtained spring break occurring. What I am doing is specializing in simply getting everyone to the polls as quickly as attainable.”
Army.com reached out to the Fuller marketing campaign requesting an interview. No response was acquired.
The Shadow of Marjorie Taylor Greene
Harris, a Democrat, is conversant in Greene as he ran in opposition to her in November 2024 to signify District 14 in Northwest Georgia that features Cobb and Polk counties. She defeated him by roughly 28 share factors and 110,000 votes.
Requested how he compares his unique political foray to the current, Harris stated, “I’m a greater candidate.”
“The primary time I ran, I used to be nonetheless very inflexible,” Harris stated. “I simply got here out of the navy, I used to be in a model new area. It has been three years since I have been out of base, three years since I have been out within the navy. I’ve been speaking to the individuals all through the complete district the complete time.
“I am very comfy now. On high of that, I do know lots of people within the district personally, Democrats and Republicans, and so they know me and respect me. So, we took all the pieces that we realized from the time that I ran in opposition to Marjorie Taylor Greene, and we’re making use of it now.”
He stated that has translated to a greater floor sport and extra cogent fundraising efforts.
Requested about Greene’s dramatic shift from hard-MAGA to denouncing the president and his administration, Harris referred to it as “Greene 2.0” and stated she’s really moved from her “excessive” positions to extra average ones like he has.
“She talks about insurance coverage…she talks about homes, the place company America’s shopping for up all the homes and simply on a regular basis individuals cannot afford to even compete to get one,” he stated. “She talks concerning the Epstein information that must be launched, she talks about how we shouldn’t be on this explicit battle.”
Whereas Trump has endorsed Fuller, Greene has stayed out of the fray.
“I let you know one factor that Marjorie has not carried out,” Harris added. “President Trump has endorsed Fuller. However Marjorie Taylor Greene, that also carries extra weight than Donald Trump on this district. Marjorie Taylor Greene has not come out and endorsed Fuller in any respect.
“So, by default, Marjorie Taylor Greene is saying Fuller isn’t the particular person to switch her.”
Affordability, Immigration and Nationwide Safety Rule the Dialog
Harris and Fuller differ on a plethora of points.
Though he’s working as a Democrat, Harris considers himself a average who separates himself from the political machine that’s the nationwide Democratic Social gathering.
Clay, he cannot stand on his personal two toes as a result of he needed to get the endorsement of Donald Trump to even have the ability to compete in opposition to me. However with that being stated, that endorsement doesn’t imply that he will win this election.
Harris, a Polk County cattle producer who grew up on his household’s farm in Blakeley, has a five-point marketing campaign plan that addresses agriculture, well being care, affordability, nationwide and border safety, and veterans.
That features passing a farm invoice that advantages small and medium-sized companies versus companies, defending Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) advantages, defending congressional cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, cracking down on value gouging, funding rural broadband, increasing port screening and modernizing asylum processing with swifter outcomes, and stopping Congress’ push to denationalise veteran well being care.
“The No. 1 subject remains to be affordability,” Harris stated. “I used to be saying that a couple of weeks in the past, however now on this battle that we’re in—a battle of selection has now even raised that much more primarily based on gasoline costs, diesel costs. As a result of our space could be very heavy on agriculture farmers…fertilizer price is simply killing our farmers.
“That’s what I am listening to throughout the board, kitchen desk points, individuals saying to me, ‘Shawn, please assist us as a result of we put a variety of our children into the navy,’ in order that they’re involved concerning the battle. On high of that, they’re involved about how they’re simply going to have the ability to pay their payments as a result of proper now it is simply killing everyone.”
Fuller’s marketing campaign agenda contains pushing Trump’s “America First” agenda, together with his web site not providing specifics past “standing with spine in opposition to the Socialists, Democrats and weak Republicans in Washington.”
The self-described constitutional conservative who needs to deliver authorized justice to narcotics traffickers additionally “helps all efforts to empower” the Trump administration to take away “tens of millions” of unlawful immigrants.
“Clay will use his authorized expertise to struggle again in opposition to the novel left as they attempt to restrict our Constitutional freedoms, most significantly these enshrined in our 1st and 2nd Amendments. Our God given rights shall NOT be infringed, interval,” Fuller’s marketing campaign web site reads.
The Common District 14 Voter
The typical Georgia District 14 voter “is a hard-working particular person,” stated Harris, who’s married to a doctor and has 5 sons and 4 grandchildren.
He stated that almost all residents should work two jobs simply to make ends meet, projecting the typical annual earnings in a variety between $40,000 and $65,000.
“Most will not be a part of the inventory market,” Harris stated. “So, when the president says we’re making a complete bunch of cash within the inventory market, that doesn’t have an effect on most individuals right here within the 14th.”
He’s additionally targeted on bringing generational jobs to his potential constituents. By that, he means jobs coming from main, massive firms the place staff could make a livable wage and efficiently buy a house fairly than “should attempt to be 40 years previous earlier than you’ll be able to even take into consideration shopping for slightly small home.”
“That is us in a nutshell,” he stated. “We’re good individuals, we’re God-fearing individuals, we’re Christians, we’re Muslims, we’re all the pieces as a result of right here in Northwest Georgia, you’ve obtained a really numerous group of individuals throughout the board.”
How Iran Struggle May Assist Harris’ Possibilities
The aforementioned battle in Iran might throw a wrench on this particular election consisting of two navy veterans, as points surrounding affordability are high of thoughts not simply to Georgians however most People.
Harris stated that whereas he respects Fuller as an opponent and a veteran, he doesn’t perceive his fealty to the president.
“I am fairly shocked as a result of Clay, after I see him face-to-face…I all the time thank him for his service as a result of he is a veteran,” Harris stated. “However then I flip again round and say, ‘As a veteran, I can not imagine how he would promote his soul to Donald Trump,’ after which on high of that full-throttle get in assist of this battle.”
Harris stated the continued battle within the Center East not solely places American lives in danger however has prompted the best oil spikes in about 4 years because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The president of america has not even come to the American individuals and advised us why we’re within the battle,” he added. “He hasn’t advised us, what’s the finish state? He hasn’t advised us, how is that this battle in our strategic curiosity? … Greater than 50,000 troops are again within the Center East. It is by no means been that prime since we had been in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
Harris believes his navy expertise has readied him for this second. As he put it, nothing is extra essential to any trigger than the individuals themselves.
“I do not care concerning the tanks, concerning the planes, concerning the weapons,” he stated. “Essentially the most valuable asset we’ve got within the navy is our individuals, our troopers, our civilians, everyone that really helps us do all of the issues.
“That is the factor that I am bringing right here to Northwest Georgia. Once I’m working as a candidate for Congress, I inform everyone, ‘I work straight for you, your youngsters, and your grandkids.’ Backside line is, I’m a average Democrat however I’m not tied to a celebration. My opponent can not say that as a result of he is 100% tied to Donald Trump.”
