Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) sparred with Democratic opponent Marcus Flowers over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and transgender children in a short but raucous debate Sunday evening.
The candidates running to represent Georgia’s 14th Congressional District participated in a 25-minute televised debate, in which they often talked over each other. Much of the debate focused on Greene’s tenure in Congress as a firebrand conservative freshman, though Flowers clarified in the beginning that he wants to be seen as a candidate in his own right, not just an alternative to Greene.
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“First and foremost, I am running as Marcus Flowers, not ‘not Marjorie Taylor Greene,'” he said. “You know, I got into this campaign because of the events of Jan. 6 and congresswoman Greene’s participation in that.”
Greene disputed his characterization that she “participated” in the riot, asserting he could not accuse her of insurrection and that she “was a victim of the Jan. 6 riot just as much as any other member of Congress.”
“I had nothing to do with what happened there that day, and I will not have you accuse me of that,” she said. “That is wrong of you to do. You’re lying about me, and you will not defame my character in that manner.”
Greene was accused of being involved in the riot but defeated a ballot challenge to her ability to run in April because of her alleged support for the protesters’ actions.
When asked what she’s done for her constituents, Greene blamed Democratic control of Congress for not being able to get anything done.
“It’s been hard to pass any bills and a Democrat-controlled, Nancy Pelosi-controlled House of Representatives, and a Senate that is controlled by one vote with Kamala Harris as the Democrat vice president and a White House that is controlled by Democrat Joe Biden,” she said.
Affirming transgender children also came up in the debate, as Greene is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit minors from receiving “gender-affirming care,” such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
“Kids need to grow up. They do not need to have mastectomy, castration, or take dangerous drugs that have serious health consequences,” Greene said. “Marcus Flowers represents the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party is the party of child abuse.”
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Flowers said that he believes “in standing up for human rights. People come up to me every day and tell me how they feel attacked by you. And yes, I’m talking about children and our LGBTQ+ community.”
Greene won with nearly 75% of the vote in her first election in 2020 in the deep-red district. She is expected to win reelection easily.
