(The Center Square) – Democrats say Tuesday’s win in Georgia House District 121 shows the party has momentum going into the midterm elections, but local Republicans say turnout gave Democrats the victory.
Democrat Eric Gisler won the seat over Mack “Dutch” Guest IV with 5,873 votes (50.85%) to Guest’s 5,676 votes (49.15%), a difference of less than 200, according to results from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. State law allows a recount if the margin is within 0.5 percentage points. Gisler won with a margin of more than 1%.
Former Rep. Marcus Wiedower, R-Watkinsville, received more than 61% of the vote in 2024. He resigned in October because of professional obligations, he said.
State Democrats touted the victory as a sign they are swaying Georgia voters. Two Democrats won seats on the Public Service Commission in an election held last month.
“This isn’t just a win for Georgia Democrats – it’s a win for every family in Oconee and Clarke counties who has been struggling to get ahead under 22 years of failed Republican leadership,” said Charlie Bailey, chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia. “All across the state, Georgians are realizing there’s only one party that’s working to lower costs, keep health care affordable and put people ahead of big corporations – and that’s the Democratic Party.”
The Oconee County Republican Party blamed the loss on low voter turnout.
“It’s simple math,” the organization said in a social media post. “Those who have the most votes win. Oconee did not live up to its usual civic engagement for this race. A course correction is required. It wasn’t the candidate.”
A race to fill the seat of the late Georgia Rep. Mandi Ballinger, R-Canton, will go to a runoff. Republican Bill Fincher received 27.4% of the vote for the District 23 House seat in a race that included four other Republican candidates. Democrat Scott Sanders trailed Fincher with 27.4% of the vote and will face Fincher in a runoff on Jan. 6.
December is an unusually busy season for state elections. On Dec. 2, 21-year-old Muhammad Akbar Ali, a Democrat, won the 106th House District seat. Shelly Hutchinson, D-Snellville, announced her resignation in July.
Next Tuesday, voters will decide who will be the next state senator in District 35. Democrat Jason Esteves stepped down to focus on his run for governor, he said.
Jaha Howard, Cobb County School board member for four years, and former Georgia House member Roger Bruce will be on the ballot.
A special election date has not been set for the District 18 Senate seat held by John F. Kennedy of Macon, who resigned this week. Kennedy said he wanted to focus on his race for lieutenant governor.
Voters in northwest Georgia will go to the polls next year to decide who will replace U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, who resigned last month. Gov. Brian Kemp will call a special election after Greene officially leaves Congress on Jan. 5.
