With the resignation of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, several prominent contenders are vying for her seat.
Georgia’s 14th District, in the northwest part of the state, drew a crowded Republican field, with several candidates already filing or signaling interest in the special election. (RELATED: How Did Marjorie Taylor Greene End Up Here?)
My message to Georgia’s 14th District and America.
THANKS. pic.twitter.com/tSoHCeAjn1– Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) November 22, 2025
Two notable challengers had already filed with the Federal Election Commission before Greene announced her departure in January 2026: Star Black, a business owner and retired FEMA official, and Jeff Criswell, a businessman who owns a sports memorabilia store in metro Atlanta.
Black, who registered for the race in June, has lived in the Kennesaw part of the district for nearly two decades, according to Atlanta First News.
Criswell was the Republican nominee against Georgia Democrat Lucy McBath in the 2024 election, which he lost.
James Tully, the 14th District GOP chairman and one of Greene’s top field operatives, announced on X that he would run for the seat. Tully is a longtime Greene loyalist.
“I am announcing tonight that I am definitely running for Congress in northwest Georgia’s powerful 14th District,” Tully wrote. “I will pursue my desire to be a part and to serve.”
Run for Congress in Mighty Georgia 14! pic.twitter.com/Yt0HKoQwfD
– Jim Tully 🇺🇸 (@Jim_Tully) November 25, 2025
Elvis Casely, a former sales professional and actor, filed for a platform focused on consumer protection and family policy.
Several other potential candidates are considering entering the race, including Dalton City Councilman Nicky Lama, a small business owner, who said he is considering a bid, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, has also expressed interest in running. Moore cultivated a reputation for discord with his own party’s leadership in Atlanta.
He was arrested at the state Capitol in January for “attempting to disrupt official proceedings” in front of the House of Representatives before the State of the State address and even “pushing[ing] in soldiers on several occasions,” says the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
“Despite multiple verbal warnings and several attempts to de-escalate the situation, Senator Moore persisted in his attempts to disrupt official proceedings inside the House,” the statement said. He was charged with willful obstruction of law enforcement.
🚨New: Georgia State Senator Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore expressed interest in running in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District special election next year pic.twitter.com/8jmQ5KsE4L
– The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) November 22, 2025
Moore also publicly clashed with Gov. Brian Kemp, at one point accusing Georgia National Guard troops deployed to the Texas border of “working for Biden” during the standoff between Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over Texas’ efforts to curb illegal immigration, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.
Some members of the Republican Party view field congestion as potentially problematic, but not for the reasons one might expect.
“The concerns raised by some Republicans are purely practical,” said a source familiar with the matter. “When an incumbent president leaves his seat to run for another office, it can trigger a domino effect. Other incumbents in that office can jump into that race, which opens up their seats, and suddenly multiple seats are exposed at the same time. The risk is not about one candidate, the risk is losing seats in the chaos.”
Other potential candidates who have announced their intention to run but have not yet filed with the FEC include Christian Hurd, a 28-year Marine Corps veteran from Whitfield County, and Joseph Bergeman, a middle school history and science teacher. (RELATED: As MTG nears his departure, here’s a look back at his fiery battles with Democrats)
Also present is Jared Craig, the Newnan attorney who challenged Republican Rep. Drew Ferguson in the 2022 Georgia 3rd District Republican primary and launched his campaign for Greene’s seat on Dec. 1, according to the Newnan Times-Herald.
