When Shawn Harris answered our phone call, he was on the road, driving through northwest Georgia on his way to knock on doors. There was no staff or entourage. Just a candidate and a list of voters.

“I’m actually driving right now,” he told Blavity Politics in an exclusive interview.

It’s a small detail, but one that reflects how the Blakely, Georgia native is approaching one of the most closely watched races in the country. As the April 7 runoff approaches, Harris—who identifies as a moderate Democrat—is trying to do something few in his party have managed: compete seriously in a deep-red district long represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Harris, who previously unsuccessfully challenged Greene, is now one of two candidates out of 22 left standing to complete Greene’s term. Harris will now face Trump-backed Republican Clay Fuller in a one-on-one race after no candidate secured a majority in the initial election, according to CBS News.

While some coverage has framed his earlier performance as a surprise, Harris says it was part of a longer strategy.

“We had the most votes of any Democrat ever in this district,” he said. “We didn’t win, but we planted the seed of belief.”

That belief, he argues, has grown into a broader coalition that includes Democrats, independents and some Republicans.

“People know me now. They trust me,” Harris said. “They see me as a neighbor.”

That may be why some Republicans are listening. Harris is not running as a typical Democrat. He is running as a neighbor, a farmer and a veteran, focused on rising costs and struggling rural communities rather than party talking points. In a district defined by loyalty to Donald Trump, that approach is quietly cutting through.

A race shaped by timing, turnout and Trump

As the race draws national attention, NBC News reports it is being closely watched as a test of Trump’s influence in deeply conservative areas. At the same time, economic pressure and rising costs are reshaping how some rural voters think about politics, creating openings Democrats have historically struggled to access, according to Capital B News.

The district remains firmly conservative with strong loyalty to Trump, and Harris acknowledges that reality. He frames the race as one defined less by ideology and more by turnout.

Early voting is compressed into just a few days due to the Easter holiday, and Election Day falls during spring break across much of the district.

Harris said both he and his opponent’s campaigns are facing the same challenge: ensuring voters actually make it to the polls during a condensed voting window.

“Do people actually have a plan to vote?” he said, although hopeful that driving across northwest Georgia, knocking on doors and talking to voters directly would address that.

The question of turnout is only one part of the race, though. During last week’s debate, Harris also drew a sharp contrast between himself and Fuller’s alignment with Donald Trump.

“I’m a Democrat, but I’m not tied to the party,” Harris said. “My fellow candidate has sold his soul to Donald Trump.”

Fuller leaned into that alignment: “The economic policies of President Trump are working for hardworking Americans,” Fuller said during the debate.

The exchange underscored the central question facing voters: whether to stick with a candidate closely tied to their beloved MAGA movement, or consider one focused on local issues over party loyalty.

Harris also pointed to frustration with how the district has been represented, arguing voters are ready for a shift away from political spectacle.

He described Greene’s tenure as marked by controversy and said residents across northwest Georgia are looking for leadership that delivers.

“People are tired of the drama,” Harris said. “They want somebody that’s actually going to fight for them and get things done.”

‘Farmers are going broke’: A cattle raiser’s economic case

For Harris, the campaign ultimately comes down to economic pressure, especially in rural communities.

He speaks about it not just as a candidate, but as someone living it. Harris lives on a farm in northwest Georgia, where he raises cattle, giving him a firsthand view of the financial strain many farmers face.

He points to rising fuel costs, grocery prices and pressure on agricultural workers as signs that national economic messaging is not matching everyday reality.

“Farmers are going broke,” he said. “People can’t afford groceries. They can’t afford fuel.”

That message also surfaced during the debate, where Harris described affordability as the district’s top issue and emphasized the need for bipartisan solutions.

“Cost of living is the number one issue,” he said. “We need somebody that can go to D.C. and actually negotiate.”

Agriculture, the district’s largest industry, is central to his campaign. Harris has also raised concerns about cuts affecting Black, brown and Indigenous farmers, particularly those supplying local food systems.

“When you start cutting programs that support those farmers, you’re cutting off food access,” he said.

A ‘Dirt Road Democrat’ pitch to a ruby red district

Harris has leaned into his identity as what he calls a “common sense” Democrat, arguing that national party labels do not reflect the needs of his district.

“I’m not married to a party,” he said. “If something works for this district, I’ll support it. If it doesn’t, I’ll push back.”

But more than his ability to use common sense, Harris also describes himself as a “dirt road Democrat,” a label he says reflects both his background and his approach to politics.

“I call myself a dirt road Democrat because I don’t have anything to prove,” Harris said. 

He connected that identity to his upbringing in southwest Georgia, pointing to the people and places that shaped him.

“People from Blakely, Georgia, from that dirt road, people at Bethlehem AME Church been praying for me for a long time,” he said. “That’s why I can come out here in the daylight and I don’t have to show fear to nobody.”

Priding himself as a true leader, having served four decades in the military, Harris added, “What I bring is tested leadership and the courage to stand up. If one person stands up, others will follow.”

For now, that message is being delivered the same way his campaign is being run: directly, and one conversation at a time.

Whether it resonates enough to shift the outcome in one of Georgia’s most conservative districts will be decided April 7.