[1] Shafer was a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018, but was narrowly defeated in the primary runoff election by Geoff Duncan.

He resigned to manage the 1994 gubernatorial campaign of Republican businessman Guy Millner, who narrowly lost the general election to Governor Zell Miller.

[8] Shafer ran for state chairman of the Georgia Republican Party in 2001, placing second in a three-way race ultimately won by Christian conservative activist Ralph Reed.

After Cagle announced that a debilitating spinal disease was forcing him to withdraw from the race for governor and instead seek re-election as lieutenant governor, Shafer announced that he was suspending his campaign, subject to Cagle's full medical recovery, and that he would instead seek re-election to the state senate.

He quickly emerged as the front runner, winning Republican straw polls and receiving endorsements from major conservative organizations and political figures.

The report stated that the lobbyist changed her story during the investigation, acknowledging that she had never been alone with Shafer but claiming the alleged harassment was by telephone.

[4] In 2021, Shafer was involved in efforts to advance Georgia's controversial voting reform bill, SB 202, which was ultimately signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp.

He reportedly told the committee that the Trump campaign had directed the Georgia GOP to submit the slate of false electors.

[14][15] On June 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed Shafer in connection with his alleged role in organizing an unofficial slate of electors from Georgia after the 2020 election.

[25] In July, 2022, Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis announced that she had sent a target letter to Shafer and two other Republican officials, warning them that they face indictment in connection with the fake electors scheme, which was part of the attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.

[27] On August 14, 2023, Shafer, along with 18 other defendants, was indicted by a grand jury in Fulton County in connection with racketeering charges related to the attempt to overturn the results of Georgia's 2020 presidential election.