ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An Atlanta-based state senator hoping to become Georgia’s first minority governor in history officially resigned his seat Wednesday morning.

In a letter to outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp, Jason Esteves formally notified Kemp of his resignation.

Esteves represented Senate District 35 for one term after being elected in 2024. Prior to that, he was elected to the Atlanta Public Schools’ school board At-Large Seat 9 on December 4, 2013, and was unopposed for re-election in 2017.

Besides Esteves, Democrats Michael Thurmond , state Rep. Derrick Jackson , former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and businessman/pastor Olu Brown are seeking their party’s gubernatorial nomination in 2026. Any one of the candidates would become the state’s first Black or min

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