Sen. Esteves To Run For Governor?

The loudly whispered rumor finally hit the papers.

Fresh off of being sworn in for his second term as State Senator, Democrat Jason Esteves is making moves to run for Governor in 2026.

Esteves won his Georgia Senate seat in 2022 after spending nine years on the board of education of Atlanta Public Schools, including as chair from 2018-2021. He’s a steadfast supporter of abortion rights and Medicaid expansion and has become a go-to expert in the chamber on education measures.

He could be a wild card in an unsettled field to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp. While the Republican race seems likely to revolve around a matchup between Attorney General Chris Carr and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Democrats are far more uncertain.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and ex-DeKalb chief executive Michael Thurmond are kicking the tires on a run. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, could also jump in, and Abrams hasn’t ruled out a third shot.

Expect Esteves to work to raise his profile.

Today, he plans to renew his calls to update the state’s decades-old school funding formula and push back on President Donald Trump’s vow to eliminate the federal Department of Education.

Senator Esteves is not to be underestimated. I expect him to be a serious contender.