ROME, Ga. — For nearly thirty years living in Georgia’s staunchly conservative northwest region, Kimberly Seals kept her progressive views private. She believed others shared her perspective but had no confirmation until recently.
Her assumptions changed when she witnessed hundreds gathering in Rome on a Saturday to listen to Pete Buttigieg campaign for Democratic congressional hopeful Shawn Harris.
“There’s a lot more people that think like us than we anticipated,” Seals remarked while standing with her husband.
Harris, who combines farming with military service as a retired Army general, seeks to claim the seat vacated by controversial conservative Marjorie Taylor Greene following her January resignation amid tensions with President Donald Trump. His opponent in the April 7 runoff is Clay Fuller, a Republican district attorney, in what appears to be an uphill battle.
Despite the challenging odds, Democrats maintain optimism as early voting starts Monday, buoyed by their party’s stronger-than-predicted performance in recent special elections before November’s midterm contests that will decide congressional control.
“I believe that there is no such thing as a permanently red district or state or town,” stated Buttigieg, who leads President Joe Biden’s transportation department. The former South Bend, Indiana mayor and previous presidential candidate told reporters afterward that “things really are shifting in this country.”
Harris is putting that theory to the test in his second bid for Georgia’s 14th District, hoping that national Democratic momentum and growing Trump skepticism might help overcome the political odds.
Dressed casually in denim and worn orange sneakers recently, Harris walked through a south Rome neighborhood, connecting with voters who immediately recognized him.
Sixty-nine-year-old Phoebe Johnson noted this marked her third encounter with Harris during his door-to-door visits. She praised him for “actually talking about the things that really matters,” including grocery inflation and the economic impact of the Republican president’s trade policies.
Harris explained that unlike his 2024 loss to Greene, more residents now know him personally as Shawn rather than formally as General Harris. His four-decade military career included leading infantry units in Afghanistan before retiring as a brigadier general from the Army National Guard. He currently operates a cattle ranch in Rockmart.
“I went right back to work with my hands and built a cattle farm that I live on every day,” Harris explained. “That says to the hardworking people here in northwest Georgia that Shawn Harris works hard just like them out in the hot sun and I get the results.”
He recalled how Republican veterans who initially helped construct fencing on his property encouraged his political run before learning his party affiliation.
Harris emphasized how his agricultural and military experience connects with blue-collar constituents.
Seventy-six-year-old Odell Battle expressed support, saying Harris “stands for the kind of lifestyle that I like and enjoy.”
“This man is here to serve the community,” Battle added after Harris provided his personal phone number. “It’s not just to get into Washington and forget about us.”
Harris topped the March 10 primary ballot, though while he emerged as the prominent Democrat, Republican votes were divided among multiple contenders. Political analysts from both parties warn against drawing broad conclusions from special elections with limited participation.
“It’s just too solid a red district,” observed conservative analyst and former state Representative Buzz Brockway. “But it might be closer than it should.”
Jay Morgan, who previously led the Georgia Republican Party, suggested the district could become even more conservative, describing Fuller as ideal candidate material.
“You have a guy who’s a stand-up law enforcement guy who is an extremely attractive candidate,” Morgan said. “To have somebody like that follow Marjorie Taylor Greene is just a huge boost for the party.”
Many Republicans felt relieved that Fuller advanced to the runoff instead of former state Senator Colton Moore, a more combative far-right contender whose approach resembled Greene’s style.
“The people of Northwest Georgia stand with President Trump and Clay Fuller,” declared Fuller campaign manager Dabriel Graham.
Floyd County Democratic Chair Vincent Mendes, who works as a chiropractor, reports that several of his Republican clients are contemplating Harris votes. He believes Harris has a legitimate chance because residents are “tired of being a talking point.”
“We’re ready for real representation,” Mendes stated. “We had somebody who was mostly interested in chasing headlines for years.”
Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey anticipates this enthusiasm will benefit candidates statewide during the midterms, particularly as Republicans target Senator Jon Ossoff’s seat.
“This race is critical for Georgia’s 14th District, but it’s even bigger than that,” Bailey said. “Shawn is building momentum right now that will keep growing all the way through November, boosting Democrats at every level of the ticket in North Georgia and beyond.”
