(Bloomberg) — In one of the most conservative congressional districts in the US, a special election in Georgia to replace former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has produced an unusual runoff: a Democrat facing a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump.

And in a surprise, the Democrat was ahead.

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The Democrat, Shawn Harris, a retired Army general and cattle farmer, and Clay Fuller, a Trump-backed district attorney, advanced Tuesday after neither candidate won a majority of votes in a 17-candidate field. The two will face off in an April 7 runoff to fill the remainder of Greene’s term through the end of this year.

Harris led Fuller 37% to 35% with more than 95% of the vote counted, according to the elections analysis website Decision Desk HQ — though if you add up totals from all 17 of the candidates on the ballot, Republicans in total had more votes than the Democrats accumulated.

The district is a test of whether Democrats can capitalize on fractured Republican primaries even in strongly conservative districts. The 14th District is the most conservative in Georgia, a place where Trump pulled 68% of the vote in 2024.

Harris’s strong performance here — even if Republicans ultimately win the runoff — signals a warning for dozens of GOP candidates that seats previously considered safe could be more competitive than previously thought.

The race is unfolding as voters nationally express concern about a range of issues, including the war in Iran, the release of documents tied to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and the cost of everyday goods. The district — which stretches across the northwest corner of the state along the Tennessee border — has long been reliably Republican, giving Greene about 65% of the vote in 2024 with Trump atop the ticket.

Greene, a high-profile conservative who rose to national prominence as one of Trump’s most vocal allies in Congress, resigned in January after a public break with the president and disagreements over several issues, including the handling of files related to Epstein.

In the weeks leading up to the special election, several of the Republican contenders for the seat indicated a desire for a lower-profile approach than Greene’s combative style, yet they were careful not to be too critical of the popular former congresswoman. Greene, 51, has not endorsed a successor.

Fuller, 38, campaigned on loyalty to the president. He’s pledged to “have President Trump’s back on Capitol Hill each and every day.” During a candidates’ forum last month, he said that the president had “chosen our campaign to carry on the MAGA agenda into the next decade.” Trump visited the district in February during early voting and appeared alongside Fuller.

Trump’s endorsement didn’t translate to a fundraising bonanza for Fuller. He took in $787,000, including $300,000 he loaned his campaign. But it has led to support from super political action committees. Conservatives for American Excellence, whose donors include hedge fund manager Paul Singer, spent $730,000 on ads supporting Fuller, according to AdImpact, while Club for Growth Action spent $500,000.

Harris raked in the most cash in the race, with $4.3 million raised through Feb. 18, Federal Election Commission records show, mostly from small-dollar donors who gave less than $200.

The winner of the runoff will quickly face another campaign. Candidates must run again in a May 19 primary to compete for a full two-year term in the November general election, which both houses of Congress are at stake.

–With assistance from Natalie Choy, Chelsea Mes, Bill Faries and John Harney.

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