22 candidates enter Georgia race to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress

ATLANTA (AP) — A district attorney, a state senator and a trash-hauling entrepreneur are among the 22 candidates bidding to succeed former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a Georgia congressional seat.

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

Candidates will run on the same all-party ballot on March 10. If no one wins a majority, the top two finishers will go to a runoff four weeks later on April 7.

Greene resigned from Congress earlier this month following a tumultuous five years.

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

What's the district like?

The district stretches from Atlanta’s northwest suburbs through all or part of 10 counties to the Tennessee state line. It is rated as the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook Political Report, and voters there embraced Greene’s hard-right positions in 2020 when she parachuted into the district after starting a campaign in a more closely contested district closer to Atlanta.

What Republicans are running?

One top Republican in the race is Clay Fuller of Trenton. He was district attorney in four counties along the Tennessee state line until he filed to run. Fuller finished fourth in the 2020 Republican primary that Greene won before being appointed as 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 legislator who allied himself with the Freedom Caucus.

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

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

Already buying television ads is Brian Stover of Dallas. He's a former Paulding County commissioner who owns a trash-hauling company and may be able to self-finance a run.

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

Other Republicans include:

— Beau Brown, a risk engineer from Silver Creek.

— Christian Hurd, a former marine from Rocky Face.

— Eric Cunningham a railroad supply salesperson from Paulding County who finished third in a 2022 Republican primary that Greene won.

— James Marty Brown of Tunnel Hill, a volunteer firefighter and business owner.

— Jared Craig, a lawyer from Newnan who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in a district south of Atlanta in 2022.

— Jennifer Jaye Turnipseed of Chickamauga, an Army veteran, farmer and high school ROTC instructor.

— Larry Hilley, a self-employed man from Catoosa County.

— Megahn Strickland, a travel consultant from Powder Springs.

— Reagan Box of Armuchee, who was running for Senate before switching to the 14th District race.

— Star Black of Kennesaw, a former federal employee who was already challenging Greene.

— Tom Gray, a pastor from Powder Springs.

What non-Republicans are running?

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

Because the special election isn't 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 with other 2026 elections?

The overall race for the seat is likely to be a grueling marathon. Because the regular election for the seat is in November, a candidate could have to run in several elections by the end of the year. That includes the March 10 first round of special elections and the April 7 runoff that would follow. But qualifying for party primaries for the regular election is in the first week of March.

That means most of the candidates running in the March special election are likely to qualify for the May party primaries before knowing their fates. Democrats or Republicans would have to run again in the May 19 party primaries, and possibly in June 16 party runoffs, before advancing to the general election in November.