▁the ▁ 8 0 th ▁district . ▁A ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party , ▁he ▁defeated ▁Republican ▁inc umb ent ▁Me agan ▁Hans on ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁Wilson ▁is ▁only ▁the ▁second ▁open ly ▁gay ▁man ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Georgia ▁legisl ature . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Wilson ▁and ▁his ▁tw in ▁sister ▁were ▁raised ▁in ▁Griff in , ▁Georgia . ▁He ▁holds ▁a ▁Bach elor ' s ▁degree ▁and ▁a ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁from ▁University ▁of ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁Following ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁college , ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁Te ach ▁For ▁America ▁program , ▁teaching ▁sixth - grade ▁math ▁and ▁science ▁at ▁a ▁low - in come , ▁inner - city ▁school ▁in ▁Houston , ▁Texas . ▁ ▁Wilson ▁is ▁a ▁partner ▁with ▁the ▁law ▁firm ▁of ▁A kin ▁& ▁T ate , ▁where ▁he ▁is ▁a ▁general ▁practice ▁lit ig ator . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁Wilson ▁had ▁his ▁first ▁political ▁experience ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁st af fer ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁g ubern atorial ▁campaign ▁of ▁former ▁Georgia ▁Governor ▁Roy ▁Bar nes . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁briefly ▁as ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁director ▁for ▁the ▁State ▁Bar ▁of ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Georgia ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁after ▁defe ating ▁Republican ▁inc umb ent ▁Me agan ▁Hans on . ▁Se an ▁Mel oy ▁of ▁L GB T Q ▁Vict ory ▁Fund ▁described ▁District ▁ 8 0 ▁as ▁" one ▁of