Race for the next Georgia governor is focused on Washington

On Tuesday’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” podcast, the hosts review the field developing for the 2026 elections.

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy talked about state Sen. Jason Esteves’ announcement that he is running for governor.

The Atlanta Democrat, a former chair of the board of education for Atlanta Public Schools, made the announcement Monday. He is running on a platform opposing the policies of President Donald Trump.

“I’ve had enough of families working harder than ever but still struggling,” said Esteves in a campaign ad. “I’m running for governor to give Georgia families a fair shot.”

Bluestein and Murphy also talked to GOP strategist Stephen Lawson about whether Gov. Brian Kemp will jump into the Senate race.

During the session, Kemp said his main focus was passing changes to how civil jury awards are handled. Kemp signed Senate Bill 68, into law Monday, resetting the countdown clock as Republicans wait to see if he will challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., next year.

“I would say he has a little bit of time, but the clock is ticking,” said Lawson.

“I think it’s fair to say, Gov. Kemp’s decision could go down as one of the most pivotal electoral decisions in the state,” he said. “[It] has ramifications for the next 10 years plus.”

New episodes of the “Politically Georgia” podcast are available every week wherever you get your podcasts. If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcast platform. You can also ask your smart speaker to “play the Politically Georgia podcast.”

Have a question or comment for the hosts? Call the 24-hour “Politically Georgia” podcast hotline at 770-810-5297.