Marjorie Taylor Greene Easily Defeats Primary Challengers

Matt PalumboMay 24, 2022

OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.

Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has easily won the Republican primary.

Greene defeated several Republicans vying to unseat her, particularly Jennifer Strahan, the founder of a suburban Atlanta health care advisory firm who pitched herself to voters as a “no-nonsense conservative.”

Projection:
Incumbent Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is the Projected Winner in the #GA14 Republican Primary. She will clear the 50% threshold and avoid a runoff.#Election2022 #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/DL05X2czIq

— The Election Center (@ElectionCenter_) May 24, 2022

Earlier this month, a judge ruled that Greene can run for re-election, rejecting a lawsuit from a liberal group that had challenged her eligibility.

Georgia state law states that State Administrative Law Judge Charles Beaudrot had to submit his findings to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Raffensperger accepted the judge’s findings and said Greene is qualified to run for re-election.

“A Georgia administrative law judge issued a decision that Green was eligible to run following claims by five voters filed through the organization Free Speech for People. The lawsuit accused the controversial Northwest Georgia Republican of engaging in insurrection. The judge found that the plaintiffs had not produced sufficient evidence to back their claims,” local news outlet WUGA reported.

“After Raffensperger adopted the judge’s decision, the group that filed the complaint on behalf of the voters vowed to appeal. Free Speech for People has filed similar challenges in Arizona and North Carolina. Greene has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the law that the voters are using to try to keep her off the ballot. That suit is pending,” the outlet continued.

Last month, an Obama-appointed federal judge allowed a liberal lawsuit aimed at disqualifying Greene from running for re-election.

“The challenge to Greene’s candidacy was mounted by a group of five voters from her congressional district who argued she is ineligible to run for federal office under a provision of the 14th Amendment that was ratified after the Civil War and meant to keep former Confederate officers and officials from holding public office again,” CBS News reported.

“In a challenge filed with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in late March, the voters argued Greene voluntarily aided and engaged in the January 6 insurrection to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power, thereby disqualifying her from serving as a member of Congress under the constitutional provision,” the report continued.

“Greene asked a federal court in Atlanta to intervene in the effort from the group of voters, seeking a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order. But Judge Amy Totenberg of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia rebuffed Greene’s request, finding she failed to establish a strong likelihood of success on the legal merits of the case,” the report added.

“This case involves a whirlpool of colliding constitutional interests of public import,” Totenberg wrote in her 73-page decision.

“The novelty of the factual and historical posture of this case — especially when assessed in the context of a preliminary injunction motion reviewed on a fast track — has made resolution of the complex legal issues at stake here particularly demanding,” the judge added.

James Bopp Jr., Greene’s attorney, has dismissed the lawsuit against his client as “50 pages of newspaper articles, hearsay, and political hyperbole.”

Bopp also warned during the court hearing last week that a ruling against Green could eventually lead to challenges against Donald Trump’s fitness for office.

Greene previously spoke out against the lawsuit.

“This is the same evil playbook the dishonest Communist Democrats use against President Trump and his family. Now they are using it on me, because they know I’m effective and will not bow to the DC machine,” Greene said.

“As I’ve said many times before, I’m vehemently opposed to all forms of political violence,” she said. “I’ve never encouraged political violence and never will.”