Who will replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress?
What you need to know when you cast your vote
14th DISTRICT, Ga. (WDEF) — On January 20, the Walker County Republican Party held a meet and greet for the Republican candidates vying for the open 14th Congressional District seat in Georgia.
There are 22 candidates who have qualified for the March 10 special election.
Seventeen are running as Republicans, three as Democrats, one Independent and one Libertarian.
Of the 17 Republicans who are on the ballot, 12 came to the Walker County meet and greet.
Republicans:
- Star Black, Republican*
- Reagan Box, Republican*
- Beau Brown, Republican*
- James Marty Brown, Republican*
- Jared Craig, Republican*
- Eric Cunningham, Republican
- Clayton Fuller, Republican*
- Tom Gray, Republican*
- Larry Hilley, Republican
- Christian Hurd, Republican
- Trey Kelly, Republican
- Nicky Lama, Republican*
- Colton Moore, Republican*
- Brian Stover, Republican*
- Meg Strickland, Republican
- James Tully, Republican*
- Jenna Turnipseed, Republican*
(*Denotes candidates who attended the Walker County meet and greet.)
Democrats:
- Jim Davis, Democrat
- Shawn Harris, Democrat
- Jonathan Hobbs, Democrat
Independent:
- Rob “Rush” Ruszkowski, Independent
Libertarian:
- Andrew Underwood, Libertarian
Each candidate who came to the meeting was allowed four minutes to speak on their platform. After all candidates spoke there was a Q&A.
Many candidates spent their four minutes talking about a strong border, the national debt, and drug trafficking.
Their speeches will be reviewed below in alphabetical order.
Star Black
Star Black is from Cobb County, Georgia. Black has lived in the 14th District for 17 years. She was also the founder and former CEO of four businesses in the area. Black is a 28-year retired veteran of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She says she worked with disaster recovery to help deliver resources and relief after disasters to communities. Black has also been a caregiver for her husband and her mother. Caregiver assistance is one of her main platform points. Her four main platform points are, in her words, integrity and term limits, growing small businesses and good paying jobs, support for caregivers, and accountability in government.
“Integrity & Term Limits”
The two main points Black makes on this topic are banning stock trading and enacting term limits. She does not believe that Congress, with the inside knowledge they have, should be able to invest in the stock market. In her four minute speech, she also extended that to the representatives’ families. Her second point is term limits. Black believes that those in Congress should not be allowed to serve unlimited terms. She did not however provide how long those terms should be.
“Growing Small Businesses & Good Paying Jobs”
Black describes families living in the 14th District as living paycheck to paycheck. She believes that it is her job, if elected, to help attract new businesses to the district. Black says she wants to ensure economic growth for all of the district and not select areas. She also wants to invest in workforce training programs for what she calls “the jobs of tomorrow.”
“Support for Caregivers”
Black wants to create a caregivers’ network. This network would connect government programs, nonprofits, churches, foundations, and private service resources to caregivers. The resource information would include contact information, costs, and descriptions of services. Black says she wants caregivers to have the resources they need to continue providing care for their loved ones.
“Accountability in Government”
In her last main platform point, Black is asking for more accountability from representatives. She claims that “in 2024, our current representative had one of the lowest attendance records in Congress and admitted to voting on a major bill without reading it.” Black goes on to make a promise to her potential constituents in stating, “as your congresswoman, I will read every bill, be present for every vote, and keep you informed about the decisions being made in Washington.”
Reagan Box
Reagan Box is from Floyd County, Georgia. While she describes herself as wearing many hats, she most recently has worked with horses for the last 16 years. She believes this experience shows that she understands discipline, accountability, and that she knows how to get results. Box says she will fight to protect the rural way of life and protect “rodeos and horse shows as symbols of American freedom, hard work, and perseverance.” In the political sphere, she has four key priorities to shape her platform. Those four are election integrity, border security, stopping corruption, and constitutional rights.
“Election Integrity”
Box believes that elections in the past have lost the trust and confidence of voters. She proposes transparent and auditable elections. Box wants to build stronger safeguards around elections and enforce clear standards. She believes there needs to be accountability at every step of an election.
“Border Security”
Box also believes in a strong border. She wants to continue the current efforts of securing the border. Box wants to end what she calls incentives for illegal crossings. She also wants to tackle both drug trafficking and sex trafficking, which she believes is a result of poor border security.
“Stop Corruption”
Box also wants to tackle insider trading and implement term limits. She believes that people in Congress and their immediate family should not be allowed to buy or sell stocks. Box also thinks term limits would benefit the federal government. She says that implementing term limits would “reduce career-politician entrenchment.” Box wants to tighten lobbying rules as well. She says this will help close loopholes inside the government.
“Constitutional Rights”
Box is a firm believer in the Bill of Rights. She believes the federal government is overreaching and wants to be elected to the seat to put a stop to that. Box wants to protect the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.
Beau Brown
Beau Brown is from Floyd County, Georgia. He has been working in risk engineering over the last decade, providing his services to businesses in Georgia and other southern states. Brown describes himself as a homegrown candidate and points out that he did not come from money. He believes the middle class is getting priced out and wants to be sent to Washington to try to fix that. Brown says he will revive the American dream. In doing so, he has four main points of his platform. Brown is running on the economy, Congress, veterans, and the cost of living.
“Economy”
Brown wants jobs to go to American people. He cites Trump’s 2016 economic plan as inspiration and calls it a success. He believes the economy was damaged by the Biden administration and the use of what he described as an autopen. Brown says he will support Trump’s agenda to bring jobs to America. He also says he wants to eliminate red tape and bring investment into Georgia. Brown also wants to see investment in agriculture and small businesses.
“Congress”
Brown claims he is not a part of the “system.” He says that this will help him fight for the common man and woman. Brown is against government spending that does not benefit taxpayers, and wants the budget to be America first. He says that he will fight against Blackrock, Vanguard, and pharmaceutical companies. Brown is another candidate who is pro term limits for elected officials. He also agrees that term limits need to be established in Washington. Yet, like the other candidates in favor of term limits, he did not include how long those terms should be.
“Veterans”
Brown wants to improve private care access in the Veterans Health Administration. He also wants to revamp veteran rehabilitation centers. Brown says he will fund these investments by cutting government funding from “somewhere else.” He also says he will vote no on new wars, and wants to keep those in the service at home. It is important to note that while at the meet and greet, someone asked about Greenland. Brown did support President Trump’s plans for acquiring Greenland. He said “it is no longer America first, it is the western hemisphere.”
“Cost of Living/Affordability”
Brown laid out many plans to help under this topic. He claims that Americans are being pinched. He supports getting rid of a federal income tax. Brown also wants to eliminate Georgia’s state tax. He says this will put 5% back into people’s wallets. Brown also accused local governments of overspending. He is proposing a plan to put a five-year moratorium on property tax increases.
James “Marty” Brown
Marty Brown is from Whitfield County, Georgia. He has lived in Whitfield County since 1984. During Brown’s time in the county, he served with the Whitfield County Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. He then became an Emergency Medical Technician and then a Paramedic. Brown served in this position for 34 years. In 2024, Brown was diagnosed with stage four rectal cancer that spread to his lung. He is currently cancer free. Brown has seven main priorities that he is running on. Those are: America first economic strength, securing the border and restoring law and order, protecting rural Georgia’s way of life, honoring our military and standing with our veterans, standing up for parents and local schools, defending the Constitution and the Second Amendment, and draining the swamp and demanding accountability.
“America First Economic Strength”
Brown says he will bring manufacturing and supply chains back to America. He says he will stand up to foreign competitors as well. Brown wants to expand energy production in the country to lower costs. He also supports small businesses and wants to use his platform to bring in local jobs and growth.
“Protecting Rural Georgia’s Way of Life”
Brown says that northwest Georgia is built on faith, family, and hard work. He believes that the rural community needs his help to save those values. Brown says he will protect religious freedom in the state. He also promises he will support farmers and shield them from what he calls “harmful federal mandates.” Brown’s promises do not stop there. He says he will improve infrastructure inside of rural communities. Brown finishes by saying he will guard land, water, and natural resources from federal overreach.
“Standing up for Parents and Local Schools”
Brown says that parents do not have the final say in their children’s education and he wants to change that. He supports schools that teach “real skills, real history, and real values.” He believes that the current school system is being filled with political agendas. Brown wants local control of education, and wants to eliminate the federal curriculum. Brown also believes that the current academic standards are not high enough, and he wants to raise them. He says this will prepare students for the real world.
“Draining the Swamp and Demanding Accountability.”
Brown believes that Washington is filled with corruption. He wants to push those politicians out of Congress. Brown goes on to say that he wants to cut wasteful spending and shine a light on federal agencies. Brown also supports term limits inside of Washington. He believes this will put Georgia first, while also standing up to “career politicians.”
Jared Craig
Jared Craig is from Coweta County, Georgia. It is important to note that Coweta County is not inside the district he would be representing, if elected. Craig is a small business owner and has been practicing law for 16 years. He says he focuses on family law and criminal defense. Craig believes his experience as a lawyer will give him insight on creating and defending laws that would be passed in Congress. He says he is running to vote based on the constitution and that he will not be persuaded by political pressure. Craig is running on three main principles which he describes as day one objectives. Those are: voting integrity, energy independence, and immigration and border security.
“Voting Integrity”
Craig says he has fought for in-person voting, paper ballots, and strict voter ID requirements. He wants to bring those ideals to Washington with him. Craig also targets the U.S. Census in this objective. He says the census is counting non-American citizens and he hopes to change that, if elected. Craig says the people of Georgia do not trust elections and believes he will be able to restore that trust in the process if he is elected.
“Energy Independence”
Craig sums up this objective with three simple words: “Drill, Baby, Drill.” It is important to note that the state of Georgia has no oil reserves. This means he would be asking other states to open their drilling. Craig goes on to say that environmental policies are to blame for importing foreign oil, and if those were removed, states could drill without regulations.
“Immigration & Border Security”
Craig is another candidate who believes the border is a problem and wants to strengthen it. Craig is also an executive producer on a documentary about the southern border called “Border Invasion: An American Crisis.” He blames immigration for crime, drug and human trafficking, and draining social services.
Clayton “Clay” Fuller
Clay Fuller is from Dade County, Georgia. He is currently the District Attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. In this role he has prosecuted violent criminals. Fuller has also taken cases before the Georgia Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals of Georgia. Fuller is not only a district attorney, he is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. His service does not prevent him from being an elected official. According to the Air Force, Fuller can serve in a federal capacity as long as he is not on active duty for more than 270 days. He was appointed by President Trump in 2018. He worked with the vice president and the Department of Defense. Fuller has four main priorities his campaign is based on. Those are: an America first economy, mass deportations, constitutional conservatism, and being tough on crime.
“America First Economy”
Fuller wants to bring high paying manufacturing jobs to Northwest Georgia. He calls himself an America first prosecutor and claims this proves he can stand up to “Socialists, Democrats, and weak Republicans in Washington.” Fuller says he wants to help President Trump bring “permanent change” to Washington.
“Mass Deportations Now”
Fuller is another strong border candidate. He cites his district attorney experience as his reasoning in supporting a strong border. He blames President Biden for the “millions of illegal immigrants” who he says do not have permission to be in the United States. Fuller promises he will use his position to fully back President Trump to remove illegal immigrants. He claims that border security is national security.
“Constitutional Conservative”
Fuller says his legal background will help him fight the “radical left.” He accuses them of trying to limit the Constitution and take away American freedoms. He believes the freedoms being attacked are the First and Second Amendment. Fuller claims the American way of life was inspired by the teachings of Christ. He cites his experience in the military as reason for being able to fight for those rights.
“Tough on Crime”
Fuller again uses his experience as a district attorney to prove he is tough on crime. He says he will use this skill to back President Trump and “defeat” drug traffickers in America. Fuller claims drug trafficking has destroyed families in Northwest Georgia. He promises to get rid of fentanyl in the state as well. He says he will hold criminals accountable.
Tom Gray
Tom Gray is from Cobb County, Georgia. For 30 years, Gray has been a pastor of Mars Hill Community Church. His church serves over 700 people in Northwest Georgia. Before pastoring a church, Gray played quarterback for Vanderbilt University. He says he played football for two years before God called him to minister. Gray defines his political beliefs as stemming from his religious beliefs. He calls himself a biblical, constitutional conservative. He is running on seven key issues. Those are: “faith, freedom, and America’s foundation,” sanctity of life, limited government, fiscal responsibility, secure borders, the Second Amendment, and election integrity.
“Faith, Freedom, and America’s Foundation”
Gray believes that America’s success comes from Judeo-Christian roots. He claims that American rights come from God and not the government. Gray says the country has lost its soul and is straying from being “one nation under God.” He vows to defend religious freedom. Gray says he will oppose all efforts to erase American history. He also does not want children to feel shame for loving their country.
“Sanctity of Life”
Due to Gray’s religious beliefs, he stands for protecting unborn life. He says that every human being is made in the image of God. Gray promises that he will support policies that “defend the dignity of every person.” He wants to protect people from conception to death. He claims that a society that does not protect life is not free.
“Limited Government and the Constitution”
Gray calls himself a constitutional conservative. This means he believes in a limited government. He says that the government does not grant rights. Gray says the government’s role is to guard rights given by God. He promises to reject federal overreach. He also promises to give back power to the family and, in a bigger picture, the states.
“Fiscal Responsibility and Lowering Costs”
Gray says that being fiscally responsible is a moral obligation. He claims that the government is engaging in reckless spending, and he believes he can rein it in. He also wants to tackle the growing national debt while also lowering cost for Americans. Gray wants to hold “those who commit fraud, abuse public funds, or exploit federal programs” accountable and pursue legal action.
Nicky Lama
Nicky Lama is from Whitfield County, Georgia. He was most recently elected for the Dalton City Council seat in 2023. While sitting in that seat, Lama says he focused on “development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.” Before that, Lama says he is a fifth generation business owner. He describes himself as a conservative businessman, a rancher and farmer, and a tax cutting councilman. Lama says he is the next generation conservative leader. He claims he will stand up for the Trump agenda and fight for Northwest Georgia. Lama has six things he says he will deliver on. Those are the economy, reducing taxes, better jobs, the second amendment, a strong border, and unborn life.
“Economy”
Lama blames the Biden administration for America’s economy. He says he will fix the “failed Biden economy.” Lama also promises to bring back the American Dream. Lama believes the people of Northwest Georgia are losing their money. He wants to reduce taxes to allow more people to keep their money. He adds that he will work to lower costs. Lama also wants higher paying jobs for Northwest Georgia. He says he will support local businesses in the area.
“Second Amendment” and “Strong Border”
Lama wants to protect the Second Amendment. He also says he will safeguard other “constitutionally protected freedoms.” On the border, Lama wants to strengthen it. He says in order to keep families safe, there has to be a strong border. Lama claims violent crime and drugs are crossing from the border and he wants to end it.
Colton Moore
Colton Moore is from Dade County, Georgia. He has been the state senator for District 53 in Georgia. Before that, he was a state representative for Dade and Walker County. Moore calls himself Trump’s number one fighter. He claims he was the first Georgia republican to stand up for President Trump and declare the 2020 election a “rigged disaster.” This led to him calling for Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ job, who had indicted the president with an election interference case.
Moore claims his attacks on Willis had the RINOs (Republican in name only) attack him. He says they had him banned from the house floor and arrested “when I showed up to do my job at the State of the State address.” Although the reason Moore was banned from the House Floor was due to his remarks on the deceased former speaker David Ralston.
President Trump has backed Moore in the past, and since then, Moore has been tackling illegal immigration. He claims he exposed that the Atlanta airport was harboring illegals. He wants to go to Washington to continue supporting President Trump and help lower costs, fight immigration, and support Georgia.
Colton Moore does not list out his priorities the same way the other candidates do. However, he does list what he believes in.
Those are:
- 100% Pro Trump
- Lower Taxes & Costs
- 100% Pro Life
- Deport All Illegals
- 100% Pro Gun
- Georgia’s #1 Ranked Conservative
Brian Stover
Brian Stover is from Paulding County, Georgia. Stover also has some political experience. He worked on the Paulding County Board of Commissioners. He claims he helped lower the county’s tax rate from 6.5% to 4.22%. Stover says this was the lowest tax rate of surrounding counties. He says he has three decades of experience running a business which he started out the back of his truck at 19. Stover has been a lifelong resident of Paulding County and he says he has supported non-profits within the community countless times. On Stover’s website, he has endorsements from three gentlemen: the Paulding County sheriff, Hiram’s Mayor, and the Rockmart Mayor.
“Priorities”
It is worth noting on his website he does not give campaign promises or political agendas. He mentioned a few campaign promises during his speech at the Walker County meeting. Those were: lowering health care costs, lowering gas prices, and supporting the next generation. During his speech, the main point he focused on was lowering health care costs. He claimed he has seen prices rising firsthand. Stover said his business is having to pay much more for health care for his employees. He wants to head to Washington to tackle this issue. Stover mentioned offhand he would also work to lower gas prices in Georgia, and use his resources to support the next generation.
James “Jim” Tully
James Tully is from Paulding County, Georgia. He says he is running because the representative should be rooted in the district’s values and community. Tully claims that he is rooted in the north Georgia values. He is running for this seat based on eight key issues. Those are strengthening the economy, protecting public safety, improving education, lowering taxes, securing the border, defending the constitution, expanding job opportunities, and investing in infrastructure.
“Strengthening the Economy” and “Protecting Public Safety”
Tully says he wants to build a stable economy. He believes that that begins with small businesses. Tully also wants to create jobs and “help families grow.” Tully also worries about public safety. He claims that through strong law enforcement communities can be safe again. He also wants to support crime reduction policies.
“Improving Education” and “Lowering Taxes & Cutting Waste”
Tully says that in order to improve education, parents need support. He does not stop with support of parents. He extends his supports to teachers. Tully says that they need to be empowered, and he wants to promote “educational freedom” in the classroom. Tully also wants to tackle government spending. He says that government has unnecessary spending and it needs to be reigned in. Tully wants to keep tax dollars in the wallets of “hardworking families.”
“Securing the Border” and “Defending Constitutional Rights”
Tully believes in a strong border. He says that Congress needs to enforce policies that keep the nation safe. He claims that a weak border would threaten America’s sovereignty. Tully also believes in free speech and says he will fight to defend it. He also adds that he will protect religious liberty and the second amendment for “all Americans.”
“Expanding Job Opportunities” and “Investing in Infrastructure”
Tully wants to bring industry jobs to Northwest Georgia. He says he will strengthen the workforce in Georgia by creating “pathways to better paying careers.” Tully also believes Georgia infrastructure needs help. He wants to improve roads to help support communities. He adds he wants to expand broadband as well. Tully believes this will strengthen communities and allow them to grow.
Jenna Turnipseed
Jenna Turnipseed is from Walker County, Georgia. She is a 22-year U.S. Army veteran, former jumpmaster and graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Turnipseed deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and went from wheel vehicle mechanic to commissioned logistics officer. She says she has experience in logistics, acquisitions and government contracting. She was also an executive officer of the 52nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group. Now Turnipseed helps operate Chickamauga Creek Farms using sustainable practices and serves as a high school JROTC instructor. She has four political priorities she is running on. Those are lowering the cost of living, investing in the next generation, better education system, and revitalizing the economy.
“Lower the Cost of Living in NW Georgia”
Turnipseed wants to tackle the National Debt. She blames the rising debt on “federal policies, processes, and agencies still operate with outdated systems that waste taxpayer dollars and slow real results.” She claims she could fix this by reforming policies, consolidating redundant programs, and enforcing meaningful oversight. Turnipseed claims this will save billions. If elected she wants to pursue a seat on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. While in this seat she hopes to cut waste, modernize federal policies, promote efficient budgeting, and limit regulations.
“An Investment In The Next Generation”
Turnipseed is a supporter of making America healthy again. She has several plans to do this. Turnipseed wants to protect family farms and using these farms to increase farm to market options. She also wants to help “food deserts” by expanding access to affordable and healthy food. Turnipseed believes Medicare and Medicaid are being put under strain. Her solution for this is to “improve access to care in rural areas by supporting emergency rooms, clinics, and senior-focused services.” Lastly she says she wants to tackle the “broken health care system” by cutting federal intervention and allowing patient choice and doctor-led decision-making.
“A Better, More Productive Education System”
Turnipseed claims the current education model is a “one size fits all” approach that doesn’t properly prepare students. She wants students to have the option between college and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education. These CTAE programs are where Turnipseed wants to focus and help expand and modernize them. She claims that “Whether a student chooses college, a technical school, an apprenticeship, or immediate entry into the workforce, they deserve an education system that meets them where they are and prepares them for success.”
“Revitalizing Our Economy Through Strong Communities & Small Business”
Turnipseed believes that small businesses are the backbone of America. She wants to attract small businesses by revitalizing older commercial zones that sit empty. Turnipseed says she can accomplish by “expanding access to small grants and micro-loans.” Turnipseed also wants to focus on infrastructure investment. However she says that infrastructure should protect and not threaten agricultural land and community spaces. She says that this investment would “keep our children, our talent, and our future right here in Northwest Georgia.”
A straw poll was completed after the meeting concluded. Those results showed Colton Moore received the most votes of the attendees with 19.
The candidate that received the least votes was a tie between Star Black and James Marty Brown, both receiving one vote.
- Colton Moore – 19
- Jim Tully – 7
- Jenna Turnipseed – 5
- Clayton Fuller – 5
- Reagan Box – 4
- Beau Brown – 4
- Nicky Lama – 3
- Brian Stover – 3
- Jared Craig – 3
- Tom Gray – 3
- James Marty Brown – 1
- Star Black – 1
The special election will be held on March 10. If no one receives 50% of the vote, then a runoff will occur. That election will be held between the top two finishers on April 7.
