US House race to watch: Marjorie Taylor Greene
Running unopposed, Republican businesswoman and QAnon supporter is set to secure Congress seat in this overwhelmingly conservative district.
Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene is running unopposed in Georgia’s deeply conservative 14th congressional district.
Greene’s Democratic opponent, Kevin Van Ausdal, bowed out of the race last month citing “personal and family reasons”.
The deep-red district stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the largely rural northwest corner of the state.
Greene, a businesswoman, beat neurosurgeon John Cowan in a primary runoff for the open seat in August.
Background
Greene is part of a growing list of candidates who have expressed support for QAnon, the far-right US conspiracy theory popular among some supporters of President Donald Trump.
Trump has called the 46-year-old a “future Republican Star”.
Congratulations to future Republican Star Marjorie Taylor Greene on a big Congressional primary win in Georgia against a very tough and smart opponent. Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up – a real WINNER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2020
She has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media, where she often posts videos of herself speaking directly to the camera.
Those videos have helped propel her popularity with her base, while also drawing strong condemnation from some future would-be colleagues in Congress.
Issues
Greene has positioned herself as a staunch Trump supporter and emphasises a strongly pro-gun, pro-border wall and anti-abortion rights message.
She has also connected with voters through an intensive effort to travel the district and meet people on the ground.
But several GOP officials have spoken out against her and denounced her campaign after videos surfaced in which she expresses racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim views.
In a series of videos unearthed just after Greene placed first in the initial June 9 Republican primary, she complains of an “Islamic invasion” into government offices, claims Black and Hispanic men are held back by “gangs and dealing drugs”, and pushes an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who is Jewish, collaborated with the Nazis.
In a victory speech posted to social media after winning the primary election in August, Greene said she decided to enter politics because the country is heading in the wrong direction.
“So the Republican establishment was against me. The DC swamp has been against me. And the lying fake news media hates my guts,” she said. “Yep, it’s a badge of honour.”
Outlook
Under the state law, the window appears to have closed for Democrats to put forward another candidate.
Greene is considered all but certain to win and take the seat of retiring incumbent Tom Graves.