A Georgia state senator who was arrested at the state Capitol earlier this year announced he’s running to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress.
What’s Happening: State Senator Colton Moore from Trenton announced Monday he’s officially running for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District seat. The seat opens up January 5 when Greene resigns from Congress.
What’s Important: Moore is positioning himself as a fighter who won’t back down. The 32-year-old senator says he wants to continue his battles against what he calls the establishment. Voters in northwest Georgia will get to pick Greene’s replacement in a special election that must happen within weeks of her departure.
Who Is Colton Moore: Moore became the youngest state representative from Dade County when he was elected at age 24 in 2018. He won his state Senate seat in 2022, representing Catoosa, Walker, Chattooga, and Dade counties, plus parts of Floyd County.
But he’s made more headlines for his controversies than his legislation. State police arrested him in January when he tried to force his way into the House chamber for the State of the State address. House Speaker Jon Burns had banned Moore from the floor after Moore criticized the late House Speaker David Ralston.
Republicans kicked Moore out of their Senate caucus in 2023 after he called for a special session to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her indictment of Donald Trump.
His Campaign Platform: Moore is running as “100% Pro-Trump, 100% Pro-Life, and 100% Pro-Gun.” His campaign website says he wants to “deport all illegals” and lower costs for gas and groceries. He describes himself as “the most conservative legislator in the State of Georgia.”
Moore says he was the first elected official in Georgia to call for investigating the 2020 election. He also says he was the first to demand Willis be defunded and impeached after she charged Trump.
Trump backed Moore’s stance on Willis two days after Moore made his call. Moore told reporters he would love Trump’s endorsement but doesn’t think he needs it because people in northwest Georgia already know him as “Trump’s fighter.”
Why Greene Is Leaving: Greene announced November 21 she would resign effective January 5, 2026. The announcement came after a public falling-out with Trump, who called her a “traitor” and withdrew his support.
The split happened after Greene pushed to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein. She also broke with Trump on healthcare subsidies and other issues. Greene said she received death threats after Trump’s comments, including a pipe bomb threat at her house.
Greene won re-election in 2024 with 64% of the vote. She has held the seat since 2020.
The Special Election: Georgia law requires the governor to call a special election within 10 days of Greene’s resignation. The election must happen within 30 days after that call.
The special election will be nonpartisan, meaning all candidates appear on one ballot regardless of party. If no one gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers advance to a runoff.
Other Candidates: Moore joins at least two other announced candidates. Star Black, a former Federal Emergency Management Agency worker, is running. Jeff Criswell, a teacher, has also entered the race. More candidates are expected to announce in the coming weeks.
Greene said she won’t endorse anyone seeking her seat.
