- Democrat Eric Gisler narrowly flipped a Republican-held Georgia House seat, winning 50.9% to 49.2% in a December 9, 2025 special election.
- The upset signals growing Democratic momentum in Georgia, potentially affecting strategies ahead of the 2026 midterms despite Republicans retaining a House majority.
In a closely watched special election on December 9, 2025, Democrat Eric Gisler pulled off what many are calling a “stealth upset” by flipping a Republican-held seat in the Georgia State House.
Gisler defeated Republican Mack “Dutch” Guest IV in a race for the district covering parts of Athens and Oconee County, marking another sign of shifting political winds in the Peach State.
As results trickled in Tuesday night, Decision Desk Headquarters reported Gisler leading with 50.9% of the vote to Guest’s 49.2%, with over 95% of ballots counted by 9:49 p.m.
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Just last November, Gisler had garnered only 39% in the same district, making his narrow victory all the more notable—especially since Guest had the backing of Governor Brian Kemp and other prominent GOP figures.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Chief Political Reporter Greg Bluestein captured the surprise on X:
“In a stealth upset, Democrat Eric Gisler flips a GOP-held Georgia House seat spanning parts of Athens and Oconee County. Gisler won 39% of vote last November.
He captured 51% tonight to defeat a Republican backed by Gov. Brian Kemp and other GOP leaders. #gapol”
Why This Race Mattered in a Bellwether State
Georgia has long been a battleground, and off-year specials like this one often hint at broader trends.
The seat became open after former Republican Rep. Marcus Wiedower resigned, and the district—near the University of Georgia campus in Athens—leaned red, with President Donald Trump carrying it by double digits in the previous election.
Yet Gisler, a local business owner who runs an olive oil store and is a UGA alumnus, resonated with voters.
He dominated in Clarke County precincts, pulling in over 82% there, which helped offset stronger Republican turnout elsewhere.
This win adds to a string of recent Democratic successes in Georgia.
Just weeks earlier, Democrats flipped two seats on the state’s Public Service Commission in landslide victories, ousting Republican incumbents and marking their first statewide non-federal wins in years.
And earlier, former state Rep. Mary Robichaux won the Roswell mayoral runoff, defeating a Kemp-backed incumbent.
Reactions Pour In From Both Sides
DNC Chair Ken Martin didn’t hold back in a statement released Tuesday night:
“Georgians deserve strong, commonsense leaders like Representative-Elect Gisler who will lower their costs and fight for them, not representatives who bend the knee to Donald Trump and rubber-stamp his inflationary agenda.
Tonight’s results prove once again that Democrats have the momentum across the country as we organize and compete everywhere, including in districts that Trump won by double-digits.
Fresh off the resounding victories in the Georgia Public Service Commissioner races and now this historic flip, the DNC will continue to invest, organize, and compete in every corner of Georgia as we rebuild long-standing Democratic power in the Sun Belt.”
On the Republican side, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King sounded a warning on X:
“Georgia Republicans, we need to sound the alarm from now until November, starting with helping Bill Fincher win the runoff for HD 23. Our donors aren’t motivated and our voters aren’t either.
Of course we need to talk about why liberal policies are bad, but we also must put forward a clear agenda to lower prices and help working families keep more of what they earn.
“These comments highlight the stakes: voters appear focused on pocketbook issues like affordability and energy costs, even in traditionally red areas.
What Lies Ahead?
This flip isn’t happening in isolation.
Democrats have been racking up special election wins nationwide, including recent gains in other states.
In Georgia, it’s part of a pattern that could signal trouble for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms—which will feature a high-profile U.S. Senate race and an open governor’s contest.
With Republicans still holding a solid majority in the Georgia House, one seat won’t change control overnight.
But picking up ground in places like this—11 seats are needed overall to flip the chamber—shows Democrats are competing harder than expected in the Sun Belt.
As one more special election heads to a runoff elsewhere in the state, both parties are watching closely.
If this momentum holds, it could reshape strategies for bigger battles just around the corner.
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