Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican Representative of Georgia, faced her first reelection vote Tuesday with millions of dollars raised and five other Republicans running for it. This primary race was a test of how conservative Georgians view her turbulent first term.
Greene, 47, was a star of the Republican Party’s far right fringe when she won her election two-years ago. She embraced the false claim by President Donald Trump that the 2020 election had been stolen and began conspiracies about the coronavirus.
Greene spoke at an event that was organized by a white nationalist. The crowd shouted “Putin!” following Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. They also launched other partisan attacks that critics claimed promoted racism and violence.
After a failed attempt to disqualify Greene by opposing voters, Greene remained on Tuesday’s primary ballot in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. They claimed Greene was involved in insurrection in encouraging the Jan. 6th 2021 riot which disrupted Congress’s certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory. The claims were dismissed by Georgia’s secretary-of-state and an administrative judge.
Jennifer Strahan, the founder of a health care advisory firm in suburban Atlanta, was the leader of the Republican primary slate. She positioned herself as a “no-nonsense conservative” and urged voters to vote for her.
Strahan stated that “This isn’t the time for unserious politicians just wanting to hear themselves talk” in a campaign ad without mentioning Greene. She stated bluntly in another: “Our current U.S. Representative isn’t doing his job.”
House Democrats stripped Greene of her committee assignments last spring after accusing her of spreading hateful and violent conspiracies. Greene was banned from Twitter in recent months for spreading misinformation about coronaviruses.
Green has been mostly unrepentant. She called Biden and Nancy Pelosi “communist Democrats” in a recent campaign ad, which she posted to her Facebook page. They “hate America and hate God, and hate our way and life.”
Greene was so popular that she raised over $9 million to support her reelection bid. According to the Federal Election Commission, Greene is one of the top fundraisers for the year. Greene spent over $6.6 million in the primary.
Strahan’s fundraising total of $391,000 was far less than Greene, but it was still significantly higher than that of other Republican candidates — retired physician Charles Lutin and engineer James Haygood, Marine Corps veteran Seth Synstelien, logistics executive Eric Cunningham, and Marine Corps veteran Seth Synstelien.
Greene’s district stretches from the metro Atlanta area to Chattanooga in Tennessee. It was drawn to favor Republicans, even though state legislators slightly altered its boundaries last year during redistricting.
Three Democrats fought for the chance to challenge Greene in November, despite all odds. With more than $8.1million raised, Marcus Flowers, an Army veteran, led the Democratic field. In the Democratic primary in his district, he faced Hollie McCormack, a small-business owner, and Wendy Davis (a former Rome city commissioner).
Greene was denied a ride to the reelection by fellow Republicans. Although her first term was a success, others in the GOP were embarrassed by it.
