Marjorie Taylor Greene made waves. Her constituents don’t agree on whether it was worth it
DALTON, Ga. (AP) — President Donald Trump Rep. Marjorie Taylor says Greene is a traitor. But she’s still a “mama bear” to Jackie Harling, who chairs the local Republican Party in Greene’s northwestern corner of Georgia.
“He seemed very good at verbalizing every thought we had,” Harling said.
Saying things no one else would say may be Greene’s most enduring legacy. He is resigning on MondayHe resigned halfway through his third term in Congress. The first was her embrace conspiracy theories and provocative statementsturning him into a national symbol of a political culture without guardrails. Then the desire to criticize Trump emerged, division this made his position in Washington untenable.
In interviews in Greene’s district, voters repeatedly described her as a “fighter.” For Republicans like Harling, that was enough.
“We were very pleased,” Harling said. “That was our voice.”
That was less satisfying for an independent like Heath Patterson, who struggled to consider what difference Greene’s fame and notoriety made for his district during her time in the U.S. Capitol.
“I don’t know what he is doing here other than making his voice heard. So where and how did we benefit from this?” he said. “I don’t think we did that.”
From MAGA warrior to exile
Greene began clashing with Trump last year, criticizing Trump’s focus on foreign policy and reluctance to release documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president eventually had enough, saying he would support a primary challenge against her. Greene announced she would resign a week later.
He has since continued his criticism, including of Trump’s decision to strike Venezuela this weekend.
“This is what many in MAGA feel like they voted to end,” Greene wrote on social media Saturday. “Son, we were wrong.”
The split was surprising because up to that point Greene’s orbit It reflected Trump’s rise to power. He did not become interested in politics until the 2016 presidential campaign and ran for Congress for the first time in 2020. Greene considered representing Georgia’s 6th congressional district, which includes the Atlanta suburbs, before moving to the 14th district, where the Republican incumbent is retiring.
He remained loyal to Trump after his loss to President Joe Biden and supported his lies about a stolen election. When Trump ran again in 2024, she toured the country with him and spoke at his rallies wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
Although it wasn’t always the case, the Georgia district is one of the most Republican-leaning in the state. The district once supported Democrats like Zell Miller, the governor and U.S. senator who spearheaded Georgia’s lottery program that still funds college scholarships and early childhood education programs.
But Jan Pourquoi, a Belgian native who emigrated in 1987, became a U.S. citizen and later won a local office in Whitfield County, but said residents felt left behind by years of change.
His county’s population has increased by roughly 32% since 1990, which pales in comparison to the 74% growth statewide. As the United States becomes more urban, secular and diverse, Pourquoi said residents believe they are “culturally oppressed.”
Pourquoi, who said he left the Republican Party because of Trump, said, “They see themselves as great Americans, proud Americans, Christian Americans, and this no longer fits the American model they see.” Greene exemplified the political response and summed it up as “stick with them in every way possible.”
Georgia leaders, like those in many other states, have spent years drawing up congressional districts to gather like-minded voters. That means whoever wins the Republican primary in red districts is almost guaranteed to come out on top in the general election, providing incentive for candidates Like Greene, he has stricter views.
The political landscape tells us that former Republicans like Pourquoi or independents like Patterson have no chance of helping centrists win.
“I’m kind of in the middle,” Patterson said, adding that sometimes he feels “like he’s the only one here that’s that way.”
Republicans plot their path forward
Whitfield County Republicans gathered at a local restaurant last month for their annual Christmas party; here seasonal decor and a visit from Santa were intertwined with red, white and blue attire and some MAGA paraphernalia.
There was still a deep affection for Greene and a lot of talk about the cultural issues she championed.
“I think it comes down to the fact that she’s unwavering on ‘America First,'” said Gavin Swafford, who worked on Greene’s first campaign.
Swafford called him a “liability representative” because of his clashes with Republican leaders.
Party volunteer Lisa Adams called Greene “our stand-up person.”
“Look at his stance on transgenderism. It’s a big stance,” he said. “Abortion. This is a big deal.”
They said none of Greene’s real or perceived inconsistencies were a problem.
For example, Greene praised Korean-owned solar panel factories in the region even after the incident. Voting against Biden-era policies aims to increase production. He broke with Republicans, including Trump, and sided with Democrats who wanted to expand premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act health insurance customers.
None of the Republicans at the Christmas party showed any interest in siding between Trump and Greene.
“I think it’s inevitable when you have two hot guys who are both hard-nosed,” Swafford said.
Asked if the district longs to have a more traditional legislator, the kind who can cut bipartisan deals and bring home as much federal money as possible, Swafford wasn’t interested.
“The biggest thing Marjorie contributed wasn’t even in the legislation,” he said.
Still, there was a sense among some that Greene, for all her bare-knuckle politics, could go even further.
Republican Star Black, who is running to replace Greene, was already planning a primary fight before announcing her resignation.
“Warrior, you had a great representative. But you know what? I want to take it one step further,” Black said.
“You don’t just need a fighter,” Black said, “you need someone to listen. You need someone to represent you.”
