Eric Gisler

Eric Gisler
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 121st district
In office
January 8, 2026 – January 11, 2027
Preceded byMarcus Wiedower
Succeeded byMack Guest IV
Personal details
Born (1976-03-12) March 12, 1976 (age 50)
PartyDemocratic
Children2
EducationJonesboro High School
Georgia Southern University
University of Georgia (BS)
WebsiteOfficial website

Eric Martin Gisler (born March 12, 1976) is an American politician, business owner, and technology executive who is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 121st district. A Democrat, he flipped the seat in a 2025 special election.

Early life, education, and career

Gisler was born on March 12, 1976 in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Jonesboro, Georgia. Gisler graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1994. He completed two years of coursework at the Georgia Southern University before transferring to University of Georgia, where he graduated in 1999 with a dual Bachelor of Science in Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies, the latter of which is equivalent to Oceanography.

After being laid off from the financial technology industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gisler purchased The Olive Basket, a gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar store, from its previous owners in June 2020, and co-owns the business with his daughter Ella. Gisler also serves as the Head of Product Development at Assurified, a rental housing-focused insurance technology startup.

Political career

Prior to electoral politics

Gisler served as a co-chair and later the chair of the Oconee County Democratic Party from 2018 to 2022. He also served as the Oconee County Democratic Party treasurer from 2022 through January 22, 2026.

2024 election

In 2024, Gisler was the Democratic Party's nominee for Georgia's 121st House of Representatives district. Courtney Frisch had originally won the Democratic nomination unopposed on May 21, but withdrew from the race after the primary. The Democratic Party appointed Gisler as its nominee on June 2. Gisler lost the election to incumbent Republican Marcus Wiedower.

2025 special election

On October 28, 2025, Wiedower resigned from representing the 121st district. Gisler, having already filed to run for the district again in 2026, ran in the special election to succeed Wiedower. His campaign was centered on a message of affordability, expanding healthcare access, and reinvesting the state's surplus funds. Gisler narrowly defeated his Republican opponent Mack Guest IV on December 9 by 198 votes, thereby flipping the seat, which was considered an upset. The district had voted for Trump by 12 points in the 2024 election.

Georgia house term

Gisler was sworn into the Georgia House of Representatives on January 8, 2026. In January 2026, after Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice demanded that states turn over private information on registered voters, Gisler introduced House Resolution 1200 with 5 Democratic co-sponsors, which would reaffirm the current Georgia law that prohibited the sharing of personal voter data. In March 2026, Gisler sponsored HB 1501, a bill which would require the state to maintain a public website displaying monitored levels of forever chemicals and require public utilities to notify customers if thresholds are met. Gisler also worked with a Republican legislator to introduce a bill which would "automatically cover newborns on the parents's insurance". He also co-sponsored a bill that would have legalized plug-in solar in the state of Georgia.

In a bid for transparency and accessibility, Gisler organized monthly public town halls. He also organized additional town halls on key issues such as AI data centers and Flock camera abuses by law enforcement. At his January town hall, Gisler expressed opposition to eliminating state income tax, stating that the budget surplus would best be reinvested into a trust fund for child care, but was open to reforming property tax to ease burdens on homeowners with fixed incomes. At his March town hall, he explained his vote in support of cutting state income tax for taxpayer relief but opposed complete elimination, and expressed an opposition to term limits arguing that the issue of gerrymandering was of greater priority and that fair elections would serve to be a term limit on legislators.

2026 election

In 2026, Gisler faced Guest again. Gisler's campaign centered on government transparency, stricter regulations on AI data centers and Flock cameras, education funding, and a "housing first" approach to homelessness. Had Gisler been reelected, he would have intended to introduce legislation to eliminate gerrymandering by implementing an independent, non-partisan redistricting commission. Guest defeated Gisler in the rematch, by a vote of 52.47% to 47.53%. During the 2026 midterm "blue wave", this state legislative race was the sole instance of a Republican gain in Georgia.

Personal life

Gisler lives in Watkinsville. He has lived in the 121st district since 2003, having been a resident of Oconee County, Georgia for 14 years as of 2026, and previously living in Clarke County, Georgia for nine years. He has two children, a son and a daughter, both of whom are college-aged.

He owns a rental house in Clarke County, Georgia.

Electoral history

Georgia House of Representatives 121st district general election, 2024
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marcus Wiedower (incumbent) 19,764 61.1%
Democratic Eric Martin Gisler 12,567 38.9%
Total votes 32,331 100%
Republican hold
2025 Georgia House of Representatives 121st district special election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eric Gisler 5,874 50.86
Republican Mack "Dutch" Guest IV 5,676 49.14
Total votes 11,550 100
Democratic gain from Republican
2026 Georgia House of Representatives 121st district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mack "Dutch" Guest IV 14,125 52.47
Democratic Eric Gisler 12,793 47.53
Total votes 26,918 100
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. ↑ Cohen, Ethan (December 10, 2025). "Georgia Democrat flips a state House seat in district Trump won by double digits, CNN projects". CNN. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "AJC/ACC Voter Guide - State candidate Questionnaire - 2024 General Election". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 9, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2026 – via Branch Politics.
  3. ↑ Becker, Lee (September 28, 2026). "Candidates At Farm Bureau Forum Oppose SR 15 Truck Bypass, Answer Questions On Property Taxes, Farmland Preservation". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  4. ↑ Becker, Lee (November 10, 2025). "Oconee County Voters Will Be Selecting From Only Two Candidates In Special Election To Fill House District 121 Vacancy". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Ford, Wayne (November 19, 2025). "Early voting underway for state House District 121 race between Gisler and Guest". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Athens Forum on Energy and the Environment". Science for Georgia. October 6, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Inspiring Conversations with Eric Gisler of The Olive Basket". Voyage Magazine Atlanta. March 1, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ Bluestein, Greg; Mitchell, Tia; Murphy, Patricia; Beam, Adam (December 22, 2025). "Jon Ossoff urges Jews to stay resilient amid global antisemitic attacks". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Becker, Lee (February 7, 2026). "State Representative Gets Warm Welcome At Oconee County Democratic Party Meeting, Discusses Plans For General Assembly". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 Prochaska, Michael (June 19, 2024). "Gisler (D) will challenge incumbent Wiedower (R)". The Oconee Enterprise. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  11. ↑ "2024 GA General Election Results - State House District 121". USA Today. November 5, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Wiedower resigns, special election to be held in Dec". The Oconee Enterprise. October 28, 2025. Retrieved October 31, 2025.
  13. ↑ Jeff, Amy (December 10, 2025). "Georgia Democrat Eric Gisler claims upset state House win in historically Republican district". WJXT. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Becker, Lee (September 3, 2026). "Oconee County's State Rep. Gisler Covers Wide Range Of Topics In Town Hall Meeting, Ends With Response To Attack Mailers From Texas". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ Homan, Maya; Williams, Ross (December 9, 2025). "Democrat flips northeast Georgia state House seat, pulling off special election upset". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved November 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ Conradis, Brandon (December 9, 2025). "Democrat flips Georgia state House seat in district Trump won". The Hill. Retrieved December 10, 2025. Gisler's victory is a major upset, as President Trump won the district by 12 points last year, Decision Desk HQ data shows.
  17. ↑ "Democrat Eric Gisler Flips Trump +12 Georgia House Seat". Democratic Party. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  18. ↑ Ridley, Alexia (January 8, 2026). "Eric Gisler sworn in as District 121 Representative". WUGA-TV. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ Tillman, Alexzundra (January 30, 2026). "New Georgia representative puts forth first resolution and it's about voter information". WUGA-TV. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ McGee, Chase (September 29, 2026). "At an Athens town hall, residents voice their concerns about Flock camera abuses". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ Aued, Blake (January 14, 2026). "Newly Sworn-in State Rep. Eric Gisler Opposes Eliminating Income Tax". Flagpole Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  22. ↑ Becker, Lee (March 30, 2026). "Oconee County State Rep. Gisler, At Third Town Hall Meeting, Reviews Legislation As General Assembly Session Nears Its End". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  23. ↑ Aued, Blake (October 28, 2026). "2026 Election Guide: Athens Races on the Ballot". Flagpole Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  24. ↑ Becker, Lee (August 2, 2026). "State Rep. Eric Gisler Calls for an End to Gerrymandering". Flagpole Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  25. 1 2 "November 3, 2026 - General & Special Elections". Georgia Secretary of State. November 3, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ Stein, Chris (November 5, 2026). "Not just Congress: Democrats' blue wave washes over state legislatures across US". The Guardian. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ Williams, Ross; Homan, Maya (November 4, 2026). "Democrats say they have flipped Georgia's state House; some races are still unsettled". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  28. 1 2 3 Becker, Lee (September 26, 2026). "Differences Among Candidates Seeking To Represent Oconee County In Atlanta, D.C., Highlighted In Candidate Forum At Veterans Park". Oconee County Observations. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  29. ↑ "December 9th, 2025 - Special Election State House 23 and 121". Georgia Secretary of State. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.