Latest news with #Esteves
GMA Network
21-05-2025
- GMA Network
Explosives thrown into INC church in Quezon
A small fire broke out in an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church in Mauban, Quezon after a man threw explosives inside the building on Monday, the Police Regional Office 4A (PRO4A) said Wednesday. Based on a police report, the 40-year-old suspect entered the premises of the church carrying three bottles of Molotov cocktail. The church members tried to restrain the suspect but he still proceeded and destroyed a jalousie window and threw the explosives inside the building. Fire was seen inside and outside of the church but the members were able to extinguish it. The estimated cost of damage was P50,000. The suspect left the place and threatened that he would return and burn the church again, the police report said. Personnel from Mauban Municipal Police Station conducted a follow up operation that resulted in the arrest of Esteves. The suspect will face a complaint for destructive arson under the Revised Penal Code.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Jason Esteves Puts Georgia's Housing Crisis at Center of Governor's Race
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves recently voiced support for the growing Target boycott, as he and other state Democratic Party leaders continue working to mend fences with Black Georgia voters. 'My wife has had a [Target Circle 360] subscription, and she canceled it as a result,' Esteves said during an April phone interview with Capital B Atlanta. 'I support Georgians having the right to vote with their wallets.' The 41-year-old two-term state senator representing West Atlanta became the first Democrat to officially throw his hat in the 2026 gubernatorial race on April 21, as the party historically supported by the overwhelming majority of Black Georgians works to rebuild the diverse coalition that turned the state blue in 2020 for the first time in 28 years. Esteves said lowering the cost of living in Georgia — especially housing, which remains a major pain point for Black voters — is his top political priority. 'I will make sure that this is at the forefront,' Esteves said regarding escalating housing costs. 'No matter where you go across the state, people are talking about how expensive it is to live in this state, how expensive it is to rent, and how expensive it is to buy a home.' Esteves' plan to lower housing costs includes advocating for a new state law that would bar or limit private equity firms from buying up single-family homes in Georgia, a practice experts say has contributed to the extraction of wealth in metro Atlanta's Black community and driven up the overall cost of home purchases by limiting the supply of houses available for sale. The senator supported related legislation in the Georgia General Assembly this year that ultimately stalled in the Senate chamber. The Democratic hopeful acknowledged Republicans in the state legislature, who have spent years preventing related bills from advancing, may be a roadblock to his proposed housing policy, but he said he can overcome them if he's elected governor. 'When there's a priority the governor has, it tends to move a lot more,' Esteves said. 'I will do everything that I can to lower costs for Georgia families, especially those related to housing. And we do that by prioritizing it.' Incumbent GOP Gov. Brian Kemp has backed other possible solutions to the state's affordable housing crisis, including a Rural Workforce Housing Initiative that his office says has allocated more than $42 million in infrastructure grants to 21 rural Georgia regions. 'An overwhelming majority of these grants have been awarded to communities whose population is predominantly made up of Black Georgians,' Kemp press secretary Garrison Douglas told Capital B Atlanta via email in March. Who is Jason Esteves? Georgia gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves is pictured with his wife, Ariel, and their two children, Zoe and Jaeden. (Courtesy of Jason Esteves campaign) Esteves is a Columbus native living in northwest Atlanta who previously worked as a middle school social studies teacher and later an attorney, serving as a vice president of legal and assistant general counsel with Equifax and as an associate with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. He served on the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education from 2013 to 2022 before resigning to run for the state Senate. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Miami and a law degree from Emory University. He's also a father of two and an entrepreneur who co-owns two Flying Biscuit Café locations with his wife, Ariel. If elected, the senator, who has Black and Puerto Rican heritage, would become the first Afro-Latino to serve as Georgia's chief executive, a milestone he hopes will blaze a trail for others. 'While I may be the first Black and Latino governor, I certainly will not be the last,' Esteves said. 'This campaign is about the people of Georgia. They deserve so much better than they are getting from state leadership today. I launched this campaign because I know we can build a coalition to win.' Rallying the base Any Democrat looking to win a statewide office race next year has work to do energizing Black voters, whose turnout rate last November was slightly lower than it was four years prior. Esteves and other state Democratic leaders — including newly elected state party chair Charlie Bailey and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is up for reelection next year — are working to turn Georgia blue once more. He acknowledged some Democratic supporters have soured on politics in recent years, but argued Black folks may be the ones hurting the most as a result of the November election. 'My message to the Black community is that we are the ones that have to save ourselves, and we do that by building a better and brighter Georgia for the future, one where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of who you are or where you're from,' Esteves said. 'We do that by building a coalition that will elect the next governor.' How the race is shaping up Esteves' early start on the campaign trail may be his attempt to gain a leg up on what looks to be a crowded field of Democratic candidates. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms recently filed paperwork ahead of an anticipated gubernatorial run. Two-time candidate Stacey Abrams is considering a third try. And former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has also expressed interest in the race, along with state Rep. Derrick Jackson, D-Tyrone. Attorney General Chris Carr is the only Republican who has officially entered the race so far, but Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Trump loyalist involved in the president's 2020 fake electors scheme who state prosecutors ultimately chose not to charge, is also expected to launch a bid to replace Kemp, who is term-limited from seeking the office again. (Kemp recently said he won't run for U.S. Senate against Ossoff as many political observers had expected.) Esteves recently earned endorsements from fellow Democratic state Sens. Harold Jones of Augusta and Kim Jackson of Stone Mountain, who said they've watched him lead the way on policy issues like expanding health care access, lowering housing costs, and investing in public schools. Esteves acknowledged he may not be as famous as the other rumored Democratic candidates, but he said he's working hard to change that between now and next year. 'My wife and I are doing the work that's necessary to build that coalition across the state, and we look forward to traveling across the state to hear directly from Georgia families about the issues that matter to them the most,' he said. The post Why Jason Esteves Puts Georgia's Housing Crisis at Center of Governor's Race appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
The Hill
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Georgia Democrat Jason Esteves running for governor
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Democrat Jason Esteves announced on Monday that he's running for governor in 2026, entering a field that remains murky for his party after two top potential candidates backed away from a run. The 41-year-old state senator, also a lawyer and business owner, remains largely unknown outside his state Senate district, which includes parts of Fulton and Cobb counties. An early announcement could help him to raise money and increase his visibility. He's likely to emphasize his biography, including his young children and his past service as a public school teacher. Esteves has also served as treasurer of the state Democratic Party, giving him a network among Democratic activists. In a video announcing his candidacy, Esteves sounded a note of opposition to Republican President Donald Trump while saying he would emphasize lowering the cost of living, including housing costs, as well as expanding health care, restoring abortion rights and increasing funding for schools. 'I'm running for Governor to make Georgia the number one place to work, start a business, and raise a family,' Esteves said in a statement. 'As extreme politicians in Georgia push Trump's reckless agenda and rig the system for special interests, Georgians pay the price.' Incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is term-limited after two terms and can't seek reelection in 2026. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has said she plans to run for governor as a Democrat, but has not yet filed papers to create a campaign. Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has also expressed interest, and two-time nominee Stacey Abrams could yet choose to run again. On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr announced his run for governor last year and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is expected to announce his candidacy soon. Esteves enters the race as two potential Democratic candidates step back to focus on family health concerns. Former state Sen. Jason Carter, Democrats' 2014 nominee and grandson of the late former President Jimmy Carter, said he has no plans to seek the 2026 nomination because of his wife's cancer diagnosis. Kate Carter has glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The couple has two teenage sons. 'For all intents and purposes, I can't imagine making a decision to run because it's the wrong time for my family,' Carter, 49, told The Associated Press on Monday. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath announced on March 31 that she was suspending her exploratory bid for governor in 2026, saying she needed to focus on her husband Curtis' health after complications from cancer surgery. The four-term member of Congress, best known as a gun control advocate, had filed papers on March 5 to raise money for governor. Carter has been mentioned as a centrist candidate with high name identification who could run as a bridge between the Democrats' base and voters who might be up for grabs if President Donald Trump's popularity and the Republican brand take a dip heading into 2026. An Atlanta attorney who has been out of politics since losing the 2014 governor's race, Carter has drawn renewed attention in recent years as Carter Center board chairman and family spokesperson as his grandparents' health declined. He eulogized his grandfather in January at the 39th president's state funeral in Washington and did the same for his grandmother, Rosalynn Carter, at her Atlanta funeral in December 2023. The younger Carter said he's 'not going to endorse anybody,' but added, 'I'm very excited about Jason (Esteves)' and what he can offer voters and the party. Esteves first won election to the state Senate in 2022 after nine years on the Atlanta school board. He was chair of the board for four years, including part of the time that the distict was heavily impacted by COVID-19. He touts increased graduation rates and higher pay for staff during that time, but some parents were displeased with how long it took the district to resume in-person classes. While Esteves was leading the board, it also decided not to renew Superintendent Meria Carstarphen's contract, which causes a stir among those who supported Carstarphen's leadership following the school district's cheating scandal. Esteves and his wife, Ariel, own Flying Biscuit restaurants in Macon and Columbus, Esteves' hometown. He and his wife also own an urgent and primary care clinic. They have two children.
Axios
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
State Sen. Jason Esteves launches bid for Georgia governor
Georgia State Sen. Jason Esteves announced Monday that he's running for governor. Why it matters: Esteves, who represents parts of Atlanta, south Fulton and Cobb counties, is the first Democrat to formally enter the race to fill the seat, which will be open since Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is term-limited. What they're saying: Esteves said in a press release that voters "pay the price" when "extreme politicians in Georgia push Trump's reckless agenda and rig the system for special interests." "Now more than ever, we need to tackle the high cost of living, improve access to health care, protect women's reproductive freedom, lower housing costs, and invest in schools across the state," he said. Catch up quick: Esteves was first elected to the state Senate in 2022. Before that, he served as chair of the Atlanta Board of Education. He and his wife, Ariel, have two children and own restaurants in Columbus and Macon and several small businesses around Georgia. Context: Esteves' announcement comes weeks after U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Georgia) suspended her exploratory campaign committee for governor due to family medical issues. The big picture: Other high-profile Democrats are also considering running for governor, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Michael Thurmond and Stacey Abrams, who twice ran unsuccessfully against Brian Kemp for the office. On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr has already staked out a position, and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger are said to be weighing a run. State of play: Ongoing uncertainty in Washington, D.C., over inflation, tariffs, foreign affairs and domestic policies could trickle down and benefit Democrats banking on a boost in the 2026 midterm elections.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Jason Esteves announces campaign for governor of Georgia
ATLANTA - State Sen. Jason Esteves, a Democrat representing Atlanta, officially announced his campaign for governor of Georgia on Tuesday, vowing to tackle rising living costs, protect reproductive rights, and invest in public education. What we know Esteves, a former Atlanta Public Schools board chair and public school teacher, emphasized his working-class roots and legislative track record in a campaign video released with the announcement. He joins the race with a platform focused on making Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family. What they're saying "I'm running for Governor to make Georgia the number one place to work, start a business, and raise a family," Esteves said. "As extreme politicians in Georgia push Trump's reckless agenda and rig the system for special interests, Georgians pay the price." Esteves pointed to his work in the State Senate, where he has championed efforts to lower housing costs for seniors, expand healthcare access, and increase school funding. During his nearly 10 years on the Atlanta Board of Education — four of them as chair — the district saw record-high graduation rates and implemented over $100 million in pay increases and stipends for staff. Raised in Columbus and now living in Atlanta, Esteves and his wife Ariel own multiple small businesses across the state, including a healthcare clinic and restaurants in Columbus and Macon. The couple has two children, Jaeden and Zoe. Esteves becomes one of the first high-profile Democrats to declare for the 2026 gubernatorial race. What we know The current Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced his candidacy for governor in November 2024. Carr is emphasizing public safety, economic growth, and continuing the policies of previous Republican governors. RELATED: Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr launches Republican bid in 2026 governor's race Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has indicated that she may run for governor. Bottoms also previously served in the Biden administration. RELATED: Keisha Lance Bottoms signals imminent announcement of run for governor Rep. Lucy McBath had initiated an exploratory committee for a gubernatorial run, but suspended her campaign in March 2025 to focus on her husband's health. She has not completely ruled out a run. RELATED: Rep. Lucy McBath pausing potential run for Georgia governor in 2026 Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has expressed interest in becoming the next governor, but has not announced an official campaign. Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is considered a potential candidate as well as former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. What we know Gov. Brian Kemp is currently considering a run for Senate against Sen. Jon Ossoff. Earlier this month, he indicated that now that the current legislative session has concluded, he will give serious consideration to a run for the seat. If that should happen, it will set the stage for a high-profile contest between two very popular Georgia politicians on opposite sides of the aise.
