Key Takeaways
- Retired brigadier general Shawn Harris is running for Congress in Georgia’s 14th district, which was previously represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene.
- Harris believes that his centrist appeal as a former military professional will earn consideration from voters in the district.
- He is focused on issues such as economic growth, rural homelessness, and agriculture, which he believes are not being adequately addressed by the current government.
- Harris is critical of the military oversight in Congress and believes that the body has improperly ceded its authority to declare war and set parameters for military action.
- He is invested in his community, raising beef cattle on a ranch in the district and collecting canned goods for local food pantries.
Introduction to Shawn Harris’s Campaign
Retired brigadier general Shawn Harris had been preparing for a campaign to defeat Marjorie Taylor Greene in the next election, but her resignation from Congress has left him wondering what Republicans will throw at him. Harris, a Democrat, won about 135,000 votes in a losing effort in 2024, a record in Georgia’s 14th district and three points ahead of Trump. Despite the district being rated as R+19 by the Cook Political Report, Harris believes that he can earn Republican votes and win the election.
Analysis of the Republican Party’s Strategy
Harris thinks that the Republican party will have a difficult time replacing Greene with a candidate who can appeal to the center. He believes that if the Republicans choose a political extremist, they will alienate voters, but if they choose a mainline conservative, they will also risk losing votes. Harris is confident that his centrist appeal as a former military professional will earn consideration from voters in the district. He also believes that his experience in commanding combat troops in Afghanistan, Liberia, and elsewhere, as well as his last assignment as a military attache in Israel, make him a strong candidate for the position.
Military Oversight and Congress
Harris is critical of the military oversight in Congress and believes that the body has improperly ceded its authority to declare war and set parameters for military action. He thinks that Congress should be more involved in overseeing the military and setting clear goals and objectives for military actions. Harris also believes that the president and the secretary of defense have too much power and that Congress needs to take back its responsibility to declare war and set parameters for military action. He is also concerned about the slow boil of military activity in the background and believes that Congress should be more transparent about its military actions.
Economic Issues and Rural Homelessness
Harris believes that the economy is a major issue in the district and that Congress should be working on getting the cost of groceries to fall. He thinks that middle-class families are struggling to pay their bills and that rural homelessness is not being adequately addressed. Harris collects canned goods at rallies to give to local food pantries for distribution and believes that the systems the federal government uses to address homelessness and poverty in cities like Atlanta need to be scaled for rural areas like Ringgold or Dalton. He also thinks that local leaders perceive rural homelessness as an "urban" problem and that it is not being addressed.
Agriculture and the Federal Government
Harris has a lot to say about farming and the federal government, having invested in raising beef cattle on a ranch in the district. He believes that the district is in an agriculture recession and that the federal government needs to do more to support farmers. Harris thinks that his investment in the ranch is a long-term commitment to the community and that he is more invested in the district than Greene ever was. He believes that agriculture is the number one industry in Georgia and the district, but that it is not being adequately addressed by the current government.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shawn Harris is a strong candidate for Congress in Georgia’s 14th district. He has a unique combination of military experience and agricultural expertise, which makes him a compelling candidate for the position. Harris is focused on issues such as economic growth, rural homelessness, and agriculture, which he believes are not being adequately addressed by the current government. He is critical of the military oversight in Congress and believes that the body has improperly ceded its authority to declare war and set parameters for military action. Overall, Harris is a centrist candidate who is invested in his community and believes that he can make a positive difference in the lives of the people in the district.
