Columbus native and GA governor candidate Jason Esteves speaks about top issues
Georgia gubernatorial candidate and former District 6 state senator Jason Esteves leans on his experience growing up in Columbus as he makes his case to be the Democratic nominee for governor.
Esteves, a lawyer, was raised in south Columbus and attended Columbus High School. He owns the The Flying Biscuit Cafe franchises in Columbus and Macon with his wife, Ariel.
Economic opportunity and education are priorities in his campaign to become Georgia’s governor, a which could impact how the state’s districts are shaped in future elections after the latest Supreme Court ruling on gerrymandering.
Economic opportunity and education are priorities in his campaign to be the next Georgia governor. This is an election that will be important in determining the fate of the state’s redistricting after the latest U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gerrymandering, Esteves said.
The Ledger-Enquirer sat down with Esteves to discuss his platform and issues affecting people in Columbus and the state. This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
How would you address the push to cut or eliminate property taxes in Georgia?
“I know that Georgians are feeling the pinch when it comes to Trump’s economy, and I want to make sure that we provide as much tax relief as possible, whether it’s income tax or property taxes. I think we need to do that responsibly.
“What I did when I was in the state legislature was work with Atlanta Public Schools, as a state senator representing the city of Atlanta, to cut property taxes for seniors. I believe I can work with cities and counties across the state as governor to bring tax relief in a responsible way that provides relief for the hard-working people of the state and allows cities and counties to maintain the services they provide to residents.
“We can redirect a lot of the giveaways and handouts that are currently going to billionaires and special interests. For example, the data center tax credits that currently exist. We can redirect those billions of dollars into the pockets of hard-working people, and they can feel that relief.
“It’s just a matter of making sure that we’re prioritizing our families.”
How would you address concerns about data center projects in Georgia?
“As governor, I would make sure that the (data center) project meets four requirements.
“The first is that it needs to pay its fair share of utility and infrastructure costs. The cost of laying the plumbing, sewer lines and power lines of the substations should not be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers here in Columbus.
“The second thing is to ensure the project does not receive any state handout. Right now, state taxpayers are handing out $2.5 billion to data centers across the state. That money should be redirected into the pockets of the hard-working people in the state, so the site should not receive any state handouts.
“The third thing is that the data center should be built with the latest technology to ensure that it minimizes the impact on our environment, minimizes the water that it uses and the energy it uses. We should be leaning on renewable energy to ensure it’s not tapping into the grid.
“And the last thing is local control. Local voices matter. Data centers should be built in communities that want them, not in communities that don’t.
“As governor, I’m going to make sure that data centers that are built in this state meet those four requirements.”
How would you improve economic opportunities in cities like Columbus?
“This issue is personal for me as I was raised on the south side of Columbus, and I’ve seen what it looks like when an area loses jobs. With that, the opportunity to prosper also goes away, and I want to make sure that we are focusing on areas like west Georgia, southwest Georgia and middle Georgia to bring good-paying jobs to the state.
“That means working with city leaders, the college and university system, the technical college system and the K-through-12 system to align around Columbus’ strengths and bring companies into the region that can create those jobs.
“At the same time, I want to make sure that I’m supporting small-business owners across the state. As a small-business owner with a small-business here in Columbus, I know small businesses are the backbone of our state if we want to revitalize communities.
“Areas just like downtown Columbus have been revitalized. I want to make sure that we’re supporting those small-business owners who are supporting areas that have been forgotten. That’s why I proposed a billion-dollar low-interest loan and grant program to help small-business owners open and grow their own small businesses, which I think will help lead to revitalization and the creation of good-paying jobs.
“It’s a combination of bringing large economic development projects to regions like Columbus and making sure we’re supporting small-business owners and the small-business economy so that, ultimately, the economy as a whole is growing.”
What would you say to people concerned about partisan gerrymandering?
“That (Supreme Court) decision raises the stakes in this election. That’s why it’s that more important to elect a Democratic governor to make sure that Georgia has maps that are representative of the diversity of this state.
“What the Supreme Court did was advance Donald Trump’s mission to gut the Voting Rights Act and to target Black Georgians across the state and Black people across the country. And it’s a continuation of what he’s done with the raid on the Fulton County elections office and with the subpoena of poll workers in Fulton County.
“He’s trying to overturn elections before they even happen because he knows what he’s done to destroy our economy here in the state and to divide our country. Georgia needs a governor who’s going to stand tall and fight back against Washington, D.C. and what Donald Trump is doing but also commit to serving two terms to oversee the redistricting process. That is my commitment to Georgians.
“I’m going to serve two terms and make sure that Georgia has fair maps that represent the people of this state, including the people of Columbus and of west Georgia generally. So it raises the stakes.
“I am excited about the possibility that the next eight years is going to determine the trajectory of our state, and we need to make sure that under the Gold Dome we have a diverse group of people that truly represent the needs and the desires of the people of the state.”
Would you support ending all partisan gerrymandering?
“Absolutely. I will veto any Republican map that is not representative of the people of the state, and I will advocate to ensure that Georgia has a process for drawing those maps that is fair and independent.”
How do you plan to keep your promise to expand Medicaid amid pushback from the GOP?
“I believe we’re going to have a Democratic majority in the legislature. I’m going to work really hard between now and November to make sure that that happens. But to the extent it doesn’t happen, I’m confident I could work across the aisle with Republicans and Democrats to pass Medicaid expansion.
“Republican legislators have seen their hospitals close in rural counties. They’ve seen the fact that Georgia has over a million uninsured people, and they know that we need Medicaid expansion to help strengthen our healthcare system, including the mental health services that people need and want across the state.
“I feel confident that I could work to expand access to Medicaid. And to the extent that Republicans don’t want to cooperate in that, then I’m going to use every tool in my toolbox to make sure that we advance this agenda.
“I’m going to use executive action to ensure that we’re expanding or fixing the Georgia Pathways Program and addressing that. At the same time, I’ll use the leverage of my veto pen to make sure that legislators come our way and ultimately expand access to affordable healthcare in the state.”
What is your plan for universal childcare?
“Something I hear from Georgians all across the state, especially from parents of young children, is that childcare has gotten too expensive. It costs more to send your child to a childcare center than it does to send them to Columbus State University, and that math does not (work) for a lot of families with young children. This is why so many people have to quit or get fired when they have babies.
“My universal childcare plan, partially funded by the Georgia Lottery reserve fund, would ensure every child under the age of 5 has access to affordable childcare. It would be affordable for all and free for some. And it would ensure parents of young children would be able to drop their kids off at a safe space while they go to work to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.
“At the same time, those babies would receive the building blocks they need to learn how to read, write and do math. So it’s a win-win for taxpayers.
“We can expand early learning by the end of my first term for all 3- and 4-year-olds, just by tapping into the Georgia Lottery reserve fund. Then I would find ways to pay for the rest of the expansion to ensure that every child under the age of five has access to affordable childcare.”
What is the biggest challenge for Georgia and cities like Columbus?
“The biggest challenge that Georgia faces is that we have to be bolder. We have to be bold.
“What folks need are good-paying jobs, economic opportunity and a strong education system. That means investing in our families and investing in our communities. Now is not the time to sit back and not invest.
“For too long, we have been giving handouts to billionaires or special interests instead of investing in the hard-working people of the state. That’s what’s going to be different with my administration. I believe, in order for Georgia to be the No. 1 state to do business, we also need a workforce that is healthy and educated.
“I’m going to make sure that we do everything that we can to invest in affordable healthcare, invest in education and, most importantly, invest in good-paying jobs — whether they come in the form of small businesses or through large economic development projects.
“I’m going to make sure that we bring that economic development to areas of this state that have been forgotten by Republican leaders at the Capitol today, which includes west Georgia, southwest Georgia and middle Georgia.
“As I travel through the region, as I go through my hometown, I know there’s a desire for more access to good-paying jobs, and I’m going to make sure that we make that happen when I’m governor.
“I want folks to look at my platform and vote for me if they are tired of the old politics and the politicians who got us into many of these crises in the first place. I represent a new generation of leadership, one that is laser-focused on delivering on health, wealth and opportunity, something I know that Georgians care about regardless of political affiliation.
“And I want them to take a look at my website, jasonesteves.com and take a look at my social media. But, most importantly, if they want a son of Columbus, Georgia, to be in the governor’s office, to represent west Georgia, then I’m asking for their vote on May 19.”
This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 3:36 PM.
