Marjorie Taylor Greene has ruled out a run for the 2026 Senate, dismissing the upper house as a place where “good ideas go to die.”
The Republican congresswoman, who represents Georgia, has been a staunch ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and a key figure in his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
There had been speculation that Greene would run to become a senator next year. However, the politician said she would not be seeking a spot in the chamber in a lengthy statement issued to social-media site X (formerly Twitter) on Friday night.
Greene added that the Senate “doesn’t work” and even criticized fellow Republicans in the house by accusing GOP senators of trying to “sabotage” Trump.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House on Saturday seeking a comment on Greene’s allegations.
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Why It Matters
Republicans are aiming to expand their 53-47 Senate majority. Trump will hope more support in the upper house will help him push through his MAGA agenda, which has seen him attempt to rip-up a string of political and economic conventions.
Georgia’s Democratic incumbent, Senator Jon Ossoff, is considered particularly vulnerable after only narrowly winning his seat in 2021.
Nevertheless, some Republicans were said to be relieved at Greene’s decision not to stand against him, according to The Associated Press; they feared she could be too divisive to win. And a recent poll suggested voters placed her at the bottom of the pack of potential candidates.
What To Know
Greene’s announcement bowing out came just days after Georgia’s Republican Governor, Brian Kemp, revealed he won’t be running for the Senate either.
It leaves a question mark over which GOP candidates will stand in the primary in a bid to take on Ossoff.
Representative Buddy Carter became the first Republican to officially throw his hat in the ring on Friday, while other Republicans are privately considering plans to join the race.
The Associated Press reported that those mulling over the issue include two other Republican representatives, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick, as well as Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, state Insurance Commissioner John King, and state Senator Greg Dolezal.
What People Are Saying
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said on X that beating Ossoff “would be easy.” But she said she had decided not to even try because “the Senate doesn’t work.”
Greene added: “It’s designed to obstruct the will of the people and protect the Uniparty’s grip on power [ … and] a pack of Republican Senators always votes ‘no’ on the bills that matter most. You know who they are. You’ve watched them sabotage Trump’s agenda for years [ …] Even with a few good Republicans in the Senate, nothing changes.”
She added: “Someone once said, ‘The Senate is where good ideas go to die.’ They were right. That’s why I’m not running. I won’t fight for a team that refuses to win, that protects its weakest players, and that undermines the very people it’s supposed to serve.”
Discussing her plans for her own future, Greene said: “As for me, I’ll be on the porch, at the tailgate, with the people I love. [ …] To be clear, I love President Trump and everything he has done and is trying to do for this country. I hate the system that stops it.”
What Happens Next
Carter will be busy planning his race, while other Republicans will be considering whether to enter the fray.
