ROME, Ga. (AP) 鈥� During almost three decades of living in Georgia鈥檚 conservative northwest corner, Kimberly Seals got used to keeping her liberal opinions to herself. She suspected there were others who felt the same way, but she had no way to know for sure.
So on a recent Saturday afternoon, she gazed in amazement at the crowd of hundreds who gathered in the town of Rome to hear stump for long-shot Democratic congressional candidate Shawn Harris.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot more people that think like us than we anticipated,鈥� Seals said alongside her husband.
Harris, a farmer and retired Army general, is running to replace conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, who after a falling-out with President Donald Trump. He’s up against Republican candidate Clay Fuller, a district attorney, and faces slim chances in a runoff on April 7.
But as early voting begins on Monday, some Democrats are still after their party performed better than expected in leading up to , which will determine control of Congress.
鈥淚 believe that there is no such thing as a permanently red district or state or town,” said Buttigieg, who served as transportation secretary. A former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he previously ran for the White House and .
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Buttigieg insisted 鈥渢hings really are shifting in this country.鈥�
Harris is testing the limits of that theory with his second campaign for Georgia’s 14th District, banking that nationwide Democratic enthusiasm and simmering could help him defy political gravity.
Walking the streets
Sporting blue jeans and well-worn orange sneakers last week, Harris zig-zagged down a residential street in south Rome, chatting with voters who recognized him immediately.
Phoebe Johnson, 69, said it was the third time she saw Harris knocking on doors. He is 鈥渁ctually talking about the things that really matters,鈥� she said, such as and the cost of .
Unlike in 2024, when he lost to Greene, Harris said more people know him 鈥� as Shawn, rather than as Gen. Harris. He served in the military for 40 years, including time as an infantry commander in Afghanistan, before retiring as a brigadier general in the Army National Guard. He lives on his cattle farm in Rockmart.
鈥淚 went right back to work with my hands and built a cattle farm that I live on every day,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淭hat 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.鈥�
He said a group of Republican veterans helping him put up fences on his farm were among the first people who pushed him to run for office, before they knew he was a Democrat.
Harris said his background as a farmer and veteran resonate with working-class voters.
Odell Battle, 76, said Harris 鈥渟tands for the kind of lifestyle that I like and enjoy.”
“This man is here to serve the community,鈥� Battle said after Harris gave him his cellphone number. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just to get into Washington and forget about us.鈥�
Republicans doubt Harris’ chances
Harris finished first on the ballot in . But while he was the best-known Democrat, Republicans split their vote among several candidates. Consultants from both parties caution against extrapolating too much from special elections with limited turnout.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just too solid a red district,鈥� said conservative commentator and former state Rep. Buzz Brockway. 鈥淏ut it might be closer than it should.鈥�
Jay Morgan, former executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, said, if anything, the district could become even redder, and he described Fuller as 鈥渃entral casting.鈥�
“You have a guy who鈥檚 a stand-up law enforcement guy who is an extremely attractive candidate,” he said. “To have somebody like that follow Marjorie Taylor Greene is just a huge boost for the party.鈥�
Many Republicans were relieved to see Fuller make it to the runoff over former state Sen. Colton Moore, the brasher, more controversial far-right candidate whose style mirrors Greene鈥檚.
鈥漈he people of Northwest Georgia stand with President Trump and Clay Fuller,” Fuller campaign manager Dabriel Graham said.
Floyd County Democratic Chair Vincent Mendes works as a chiropractor and said many of his Republican patients are considering voting for Harris. He believes Harris has a shot because the district is 鈥渢ired of being a talking point.鈥�
“We鈥檙e ready for real representation,鈥� Mendes said. 鈥淲e had somebody who was mostly interested in chasing headlines for years.鈥�
Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey hopes that excitement will lift candidates across the state in the midterms, especially as Republicans attempt to oust Sen. Jon Ossoff.
鈥淭his race is critical for Georgia鈥檚 14th District, but it鈥檚 even bigger than that,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淪hawn 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.鈥�
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Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse 海角社区app Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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