HIRAM, GA. – As Georgia lawmakers were under the Gold Dome in preparation for Sine Day, the close of the 2026 legislative session, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock was in Georgia’s 14th District, Hiram, more specifically, to support a retired decorated member of the United States military currently running for a coveted seat in Congress.
Shawn Harris stood next to Warnock as the pair posed for photos inside The Philly Steak Spot, a local restaurant on Hiram Douglasville Highway. Harris is running for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former Congressional seat, and he spent the final Thursday before election day visiting local businesses and chatting with voters.
On the left side of Harris’ navy blue polo shirt, the words “Leadership Matters” were in white lettering. For many of his supporters, Harris’s 40 years of military experience is what they would like to see representing this district in Washington, D.C.
“I’m here supporting him because he will stand up and talk, and not be afraid of Donald Trump,” said Kelly Robinson, a senior citizen and Hiram resident for over 20 years.
Calandra Evans said she voted a day earlier, but was at The Philly Spot to see Harris anyway. She believes he is the right man for the job.
‘I believe he will address kitchen table issues that affect the people of this district,” said Evans, who moved to Hiram from North Carolina. “He understands what minorities go through in this district. Plus, I don’t think he’s indebted to people in Washington.”
The two-stop mini-tour also included a visit to Tips and Clippers Nails and Barber Shop. At The Philly Steak Spot, a small six-table spot, Warnock did what Warnock does and charmed the capacity crowd with humor, receiving a warm welcome. Speaking highly of Harris, whom he endorsed, Warnock said, “The President is clearly afraid the people might turn out to vote. You see the efforts that they are making to stop people from voting.”
Warnock was referencing the “Save Act” and his clear opposition to what the White House considers more strict voting laws. Last month, Warnock spoke to The Atlanta Voice about the dangers he believes the “Save Act” will have on local voter turnouts around Georgia. This week, he was in Hiram to continue supporting Harris’s campaign.
“Let’s send a great man, a veteran, and a farmer to Congress,” said Warnock.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Early voting for a special election for a Congressional seat in Georgia’s District 14 began on Monday and ended on Friday. Greene, whether you liked her or not, brought exposure and an air of relevance to the District 14 seat, a normally sleepy part of Northwest Georgia. Whoever takes her place will immediately have that spotlight thrust upon them.
For the two men running for the seat, Harris and his Republican challenger Clay Fuller, this election is of major importance. Campaign signs for Fuller, who has been endorsed by United States President Donald Trump, could be seen on the side of the road while on Highway 92. Campaign signs for Harris, who defeated Greene, who was elected in 2020, re-elected in 2022 and 2024, before resigning on January 5, 2026, could be seen in other parts of the city as well.
For Harris, this campaign could also be seen as a sort of revenge tour. Greene defeated Harris several times during her political career and was once endorsed by United States President Donald Trump before falling out with the Republican two-time president. A Harris win could be seen as a sea change in the district, in the state, and, in a way, in the country.
“We have to get the right people in Congress,” Harris said.
Presumably, he meant himself.
Just a few miles away at the Tips and Clippers Nail and Barber Shop, Harris spoke with the business owners, Mr. Deon Edwards and his wife LaToya Edwards, about what they were most concerned and interested in. The couple opened the business two years ago, and are personally invested in the community. LaToya is a member of the Hiram Police Department.
“I think it’s time for a change, and I believe Shawn Harris will be the change that we need,” she said.
Her husband agrees. A 11-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Deon was already interested in Harris’s military experience, but said he is equally as impressed with the man outside of his service to the country.
“I’m a military guy, so his time as a general is impressive to me. But seeing how he handles himself, he has his own mind,” said Edwards. “I like independent thought, and I’m proud of him.”
“Shawn is the right candidate because of leadership,” said Pastor Clifford McGrady, a 25-year resident of Hiram who started a ministry, New Unity Christian Fellowship Church. “We haven’t had the right level of leadership up here in quite a while. I believe he will carry that leadership into the next level.”
Harris took time to speak with supporters while he waited for his cheesesteak. One of those supporters was Dennis Laws, Jr., owner of The Philly Steak Spot, TikTok star, and Philadelphia native.
