State Rep. Marcus Wiedower resigns from Georgia General Assembly
State Rep. Marcus Wiedower, a Republican from Watkinsville, is resigning from the state Legislature after seven years in office.
Weidower, first elected to the State House in 2018, told constituents in an email Tuesday he was leaving office to concentrate on his real estate business.
“I believe our community deserves a full voice and vote in every session, and stepping away now is the right thing to do,” he said in the message.
He will be replaced in a special election, but a date for that election was not immediately announced. Special elections are called by Gov. Brian Kemp, who is in Japan on a trade mission.
Republicans hold 100 seats in the Georgia state House, and Democrats hold 80. All seats in the General Assembly will be on the ballot next year, but only a handful are considered competitive. Democrats, boosted by momentum in other local elections, have pledged to challenge nearly every seat and have long eyed the Athens area to make gains.
The district covers south Athens, Watkinsville and portions of Oconee County.
Wiedower was elected in 2018 to House District 119, defeating incumbent Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Wallace. District lines shifted as a result of redistricting in 2020, and Wiedower ran in 2022 in the newly drawn 121st.
In his note, Wiedower highlighted his work chairing an appropriations subcommittee and serving on the House Transportation Committee.
“My time on the Higher Education Committee was particularly meaningful since it includes my alma mater, the University of Georgia,” he added.
This year, Wiedower sponsored the latest effort to legalize sports betting in the state and place the measure on a statewide ballot for voter approval, but the bill did not come up for a vote in the House during this year’s session. He had made previous attempts with varying success over his years in office.
The Oconee Enterprise reported that Wiedower was instrumental in securing $500,000 in state funds for the expansion and relocation of the Oconee County Library. He also helped get funding for a Watkinsville bypass.
Wiedower promised to continue working toward providing affordable housing for Georgians through his work at his real estate company.
“Though I’m stepping away from elected office, my passion for serving Georgia remains as strong as ever,” he said in the note.
About the Author
Michelle Baruchman covers the Georgia House of Representatives and statewide issues. She is a politics news and enterprise reporter covering statewide political stories.
