Elections in the South on Tuesday underscored the enduring influence of President Donald Trump’s political backing, as his preferred candidate, Clay Fuller, moved closer to securing a House seat in Georgia. The contest to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican who resigned from her U.S. House seat in January after clashing with Trump, saw voters advance Fuller and a Democrat to a runoff election on April 7, after no candidate secured a majority of the vote.

Trump’s Influence in GOP Primaries

More than a dozen candidates vied to succeed Greene and represent Georgia’s deep-red 14th district, which has historically favored Trump by about 37 points in recent elections. Clay Fuller, a district attorney in northwest Georgia, emerged as Trump’s favored candidate and secured about a third of the vote, easily outpacing his top Republican rival, former state representative Colton Moore.

Moore, a hard-line conservative, had previously clashed with top Republicans in the Georgia Capitol and had sought Trump’s support. However, Trump reportedly rebuffed Moore’s request, suggesting the former state lawmaker was too unpredictable. Despite local Republicans noting significant support for Moore leading up to the election, more voters ultimately aligned with Trump’s pick.

Trump has long acted as a kingmaker in GOP primaries, but there are exceptions. In 2022, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) defeated Trump’s handpicked candidate after resisting pressure to reject the 2020 election results. This time, however, Trump’s influence appears to have secured a strong position for Fuller in the runoff.

Democrats’ Challenge in a Divided Field

Democrats had hoped to capitalize on the divided field and win a plurality of the votes. Shawn Harris, a military veteran who lost to Greene in 2024, led the field with more than 40 percent of the vote and will advance to the runoff against Fuller. Harris’s campaign positioned itself as a more moderate alternative, appealing to voters who may be disillusioned with the far-right wing of the party.

Greene’s resignation on January 5 left her seat vacant, further narrowing Republicans’ already tenuous majority in the House. Once a staunch ally of Trump, Greene had become one of his most vocal critics on the right, challenging his and other GOP leaders’ approaches to health care and foreign policy. She positioned herself as a truer champion of the “America First” movement Trump popularized.

Greene’s resignation followed Trump’s withdrawal of his endorsement, which he announced on social media, stating that she had only “COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!” The move left a void in the 14th district, which has remained a Republican stronghold despite the internal divisions within the party.

Generational Shifts in Democratic Primaries

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, long-time Democratic congressman Bennie G. Thompson faced a primary challenge from Evan Turnage, a 34-year-old lawyer and former congressional aide. Turnage’s campaign argued that Thompson, who has served in Congress for over three decades, had not done enough for Mississippi’s 2nd District, one of the poorest in the country.

Turnage’s campaign ad highlighted that “the same old playbook from the ’90s has failed us” and urged voters to “try something different.” Thompson, 78, is the only Democrat in Mississippi’s congressional delegation and is known for chairing the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He has maintained a strong record of delivering for his district over the years.

Turnage is not the only younger candidate challenging senior Democrats. In North Carolina, Rep. Valerie Foushee (D), 69, narrowly defeated Nida Allam, a 32-year-old liberal endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). This trend reflects a broader generational shift within the Democratic Party as older lawmakers face increasing scrutiny and competition from younger, more progressive candidates.

Other senior Democrats, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (California), Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (Maryland), and Rep. Jerry Nadler (New York), have announced they will not seek reelection, signaling a potential changing of the party’s leadership in the coming years.

The winner of the Mississippi primary is likely to represent a blue district that includes the state capital, Jackson. The outcome of these elections could have significant implications for both parties as they prepare for future contests and seek to solidify their bases.

With the runoff elections approaching, the focus will shift to how both parties will respond to the shifting political landscape. For Republicans, the challenge lies in unifying the party behind Fuller, who must now face a strong Democratic opponent. For Democrats, the contest represents a test of their ability to attract voters in a district that has historically favored the GOP.