The Resume Looks Good—Until You Read the Votes

Jason Esteves wants to govern Georgia, but his record shows a pattern of putting activist agendas over women and kids.

Georgia State Senator Jason Esteves has announced he’s running for Governor in 2026—and he wasted no time blaming “Trump’s reckless agenda” for Georgia’s challenges. But before voters let Esteves pivot into campaign mode with a feel-good origin story and a highlight reel of school board wins and small business ventures, it’s time we ask a more grounded question:

What did he actually do for Georgia families while in office?

Let’s start with what he didn’t do.

Senator Esteves couldn’t be bothered to vote on SB 185, a bill that prohibited state funding for gender medicalization for prisoners in Georgia. He opposed SB 30, which sought to protect gender-distressed children from harmful gender medicalization. He voted against SB 1, which would keep gender ideology out of school sports. And he voted against SB 39, a bill that sought to prohibit state funding being used for to provide gender medicalization for anyone using a state healthcare plan. Time and again, Esteves had the chance to stand up for taxpayers, women and girls, and vulnerable children—and he chose not to.

Now he wants to lead the whole state?

Esteves has a polished narrative—son of working-class parents, former schoolteacher, husband and father, business owner. He says Georgia needs to “tackle the high cost of living,” “improve healthcare,” and “invest in schools”—and no doubt, those are real issues. But if you’re not willing to defend girls’ sports, shield minors from irreversible surgeries, or say “no” when powerful lobbies push pseudoscience into public education, then your priorities are clear.

This isn’t about personality. By all accounts, Esteves is well-liked under the Gold Dome. But likability isn’t leadership. If you're too afraid to vote for what is right when the stakes are high, you shouldn’t be handed more power. You should be held accountable for the votes you did take—and the ones you deliberately avoided.

Esteves talks about building a Georgia where families thrive. But what kind of future are we building if we can’t even agree that children shouldn’t be sterilized for profit, or that women and girls deserve single-sex spaces?

With the Democratic field still shaping up, Georgia voters should pay attention to more than just who enters the race. It’s time to ask who can lead with courage and clarity—not just follow the loudest activist voices.

In 2026, Georgia Democrats should provide candidates who can provide more than performative politics and half-hearted votes. We don’t need a governor who votes against the rights and wellbeing of women and children.

Georgia deserves a leader with courage. Esteves hasn’t shown that.