Andy Beshear Podcast – Episode 52: Who Are the Democrats Running for Governor in Georgia?

Date: March 12, 2026
Host: Andy Beshear
Guests: Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jeff Duncan, Mike Thurmond, Jason Estevez
Theme:
A deep dive conversation with all four leading Democratic candidates running for Governor of Georgia in 2026. Andy Beshear hosts a roundtable, bringing out each candidate’s vision, background, policy priorities, and their arguments for why they are best equipped to flip Georgia’s governorship blue.

Episode Overview

This episode brings together the major Democratic contenders for Georgia’s 2026 gubernatorial race. It spotlights their backgrounds, motivations, and policy visions to address Georgia’s most pressing challenges: healthcare, affordability, education, and the state’s fractured political environment. Beshear guides unscripted, candid discussions meant to help listeners understand the stakes and choices in one of the nation’s most-watched races.

Keisha Lance Bottoms: Proven Executive Leadership

Background and Approach to Leadership

• [03:07] Experience as Atlanta Mayor:
  • Led city through crises during the Trump administration and the pandemic.
  • Emphasizes learning to solve problems independently when federal support was absent.
  • Financial accomplishments: Left $180 million in the bank; balanced budgets for four years; did not raise property taxes or lay off staff.
  • Implemented a child savings account program, a $28 million affordable housing trust fund, and funds for technical training.

“It was the first time...so many cities...could not look to Washington, D.C. for any type of support. And we were able to figure it out in a way that really shored up our communities.” (Keisha Lance Bottoms, 03:26)

Why Georgia Can Go Blue

• [05:13] Points to momentum from Georgia’s two Democratic U.S. senators.
• Believes women and Black women can win statewide.
• Will focus on field work: "We're going to knock on the doors, we're going to call on the telephone… We're going to tell them why my being elected governor will make their lives better."
• Core issues: affordability, safe communities, jobs, and dignity for families.

Affordable/Workforce Housing Vision

• [07:23] Outlines Atlanta’s large-scale development projects and the affordable housing trust fund as models for statewide replication.
• Calls for strategic involvement of builders, planners, municipal leaders, and the state to address housing needs, especially against corporate landlord buyouts.

“We took part of those proceeds, created an affordable housing trust fund...so that...we could help offset housing costs...But it also allowed us to create and or preserve 7,000 units of affordable housing.” (Keisha Lance Bottoms, 07:23)

Medicaid Expansion and Healthcare

• [11:17] Labels Georgia’s refusal to expand Medicaid a “disgrace.”
• Cites hospital closures and lack of care, especially in rural areas.
• First priority as governor: expand Medicaid to cover 300,000+ uninsured Georgians and stabilize rural hospitals.

“Even if you aren’t eligible for Medicaid...Think about rural hospitals closing...Think about birthing centers. Think about ICU closing...God forbid that you have a medical emergency or an accident and you need to get to a hospital, it could take nearly an hour...” (Keisha Lance Bottoms, 11:17)

Distinction in the Primary

• [13:29] Emphasizes her record against the Trump administration and readiness for tough fights.
• Specific policy pledges: eliminate state income taxes for teachers, free community/technical college, world-class status for Georgia.
• Encourages listeners to support her campaign and vote in the primary.

Personal Side

• [17:16] Discusses her forthcoming memoir, The Rough Side of the Mountain, sharing lessons from her family’s struggles and resilience.

Jeff Duncan: Crossing the Divide for Reform

Unique Political Journey

• [20:01] Former Republican Georgia Lieutenant Governor, now Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
• Cites “three urgent crises”: affordability, healthcare, and the Donald Trump crisis.
• Transitioned parties because “loving your neighbor” in Republican politics came with too many “asterisk marks,” especially when voters didn’t look, act, or vote a certain way.

“I'm wired to solve problems, not pick fights...They want adults in the room to show up, to put good ideas and bad ideas on the scales and figure out what's the best solution...” (Jeff Duncan, 24:56)

Background in Baseball and Business

• [21:14] Shares lessons from a professional baseball career: tenacity, grit, dealing with failure, self-correction, and stamina—skills he says are vital for governing.

Close-Call Elections and Bipartisan Appeal

• [24:12] Noted wins by razor-thin margins, door-to-door campaigning, and personal phone calls.
• Sees a growing coalition of moderate Democrats, Independents, and disaffected Republicans.

On Donald Trump and Political Integrity

• [26:02] Stood up to Trump’s election denial (“Doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing”).
• Switched parties after feeling the GOP left its values behind.
• Sees Georgia as “tip of the spear” for national transformation.

Policy Priorities

Affordability

• [29:19] Wants to address poverty cycle through higher investment in child care (CAPS), anti-poverty programs (TANF), and economic development across all counties.

Healthcare

• [30:26] Medicaid expansion as a non-negotiable; claims all alternatives have “failed,” and only expansion can stabilize rural hospitals and economies.

“As a former Republican that has literally looked under every rock to try to improve healthcare in Georgia, the only way we can do it in this environment is to expand Medicaid. Republicans are wrong on this issue. They know they're wrong.” (Jeff Duncan, 30:26)

The “Donald Trump Crisis”

• [32:50] Candidly calls Trump’s influence “one of the worst things to ever happen in this country,” shifting the conversation away from governing to chaos and extremism.

Why Duncan?

• [33:58] Stresses moderate, coalition-building approach and real electability in general election.
• “Democrats are ready to win...you've got to win more than the base.”
• [36:07] Campaign: duncanforgeorgia.com | Twitter: @JeffDuncanGA

Light-hearted Moment

• [36:40] Beshear asks how many innings Duncan could pitch in a hypothetical Governors' Baseball Game. Answer: “Three solid innings.”

Mike Thurmond: The Fixer and History-Maker

Public Service Track Record

• [38:14] Nicknamed “Georgia’s fixer” for reforming failing school systems and counties (stabilized DeKalb County Schools’ finances and accreditation).
• Deep working-class roots: one of nine children, learned hard work and importance of education early.

“Government should work for the people who are paying the taxes and casting the vote. And I've always put people before politics.” (Mike Thurmond, 38:35)

Historic Firsts

• [39:16] First Black legislator from Athens since Reconstruction.
• Only Black legislator elected from a majority white southeast district at the time, showing broad coalition-building potential.

Healthcare and Medicaid

• [40:42] Frames Georgia’s healthcare metrics as “a disgrace.”
• Pledges to build statewide, bipartisan support for Medicaid expansion.
• Would reallocate misused Medicaid work-readiness program funds and budget surplus to expand coverage and save rural hospitals.

“Access to affordable healthcare is not a black thing. It's not a white thing. Frankly, it's not a Republican or a Democratic thing. It's the right thing to do.” (Mike Thurmond, 41:21)

Why He Can Win

• [44:07] Only African American non-incumbent statewide official (Labor Commissioner) in Georgia history.
• Won in both Democratic and Republican wave years; deep rural Georgia roots.

Georgia’s History and Lessons for Leadership

• [45:30] Author of three books on Georgia’s diverse, inclusive past.
• Highlights James Oglethorpe: The Father of Georgia, tracing the state’s anti-slavery origins and how learning from history can fuel progress.
• “If you open yourself up to new ideas, to learning, to engaging, then you can move from where you are...He made this journey from being a slave trader to becoming one of the first abolitionists on the planet.”

Closing Vision

• [47:54] Argues Georgia is a national bellwether for battling MAGA extremism and reviving the American Dream.
• Shares a personal story: from rural Georgia’s “dirty road” to the governor’s mansion—proof anything is possible.
• [50:32] Campaign: mikethermond.com

Jason Estevez: The Educator and Policy-Maker

Education Roots and Advocacy

• [52:38] Former State Senator, ex-public school teacher, and School Board Chair for Atlanta Public Schools.
• Under his leadership, Atlanta posted record graduation rates and invested over $100 million in staff pay hikes and stipends.
• Family man: husband, two children, and son of Cuban immigrants.

Medicaid and Healthcare Reform

• [53:48] Urges urgent Medicaid expansion for 1 million uninsured, calling out $30 billion in lost federal funds due to Republican inaction.
• Wife is a nurse practitioner: brings first-hand perspective on Georgia’s health crisis.

Quote

“Because of that failure in leadership, Georgia has lost out on $30 billion in federal funding. That's the equivalent of about $7,000 per taxpayer in the state of Georgia.” (Jason Estevez, 54:25)

Bold Education Vision

• [55:48] Proposes universal childcare: addresses early literacy, working parents’ needs, and the state’s severe reading crisis.
• Calls for fully funding public schools, restoring teacher power, comprehensive mental health supports, career training, and free technical college.

Notable Moment

• [58:50] On comparing classroom and legislature:
  • “Nothing is harder than middle school social studies. But I will tell you that those legislators sometimes act like middle schoolers.”

Family, Caregiving, and Personal Motivation

• [59:16] Cared for his mother during late-stage Alzheimer’s.
• First-hand experience with Georgia’s “broken, complicated” long-term care system; vows to strengthen supports for caregivers and seniors.

Addressing Affordability

• [61:37] Platform focuses on “health, wealth, and opportunity”:
  • Tackling housing crisis through a statewide affordable housing trust fund, regulating corporate homebuyers, streamlining regulations.
  • Opposes massive tax breaks to corporations, especially data centers (“Georgia this year…give away $2 billion in tax giveaways…that amounts to about $500 per Georgian taxpayer.”)
  • Holding utilities accountable for rising bills.

The Stakes and the Coalition to Win

• [64:21] Sees Georgia as the country’s essential “battleground”—compares his broad coalition approach and lived experience as strengths:
  • “...Democrats have been telling people what they should be voting against. I'm here to tell you what Georgians should be voting for.”
  • Campaign: jasonestevez.com | Follow: Jason Estevez on social media

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Keisha Lance Bottoms:
  • “[People] want to be able to raise their families with dignity and feel as if their leaders are working on their behalf and not against their best interests.” (05:13)
• Jeff Duncan:
  • “Doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing.” (26:02)
  • “Democrats are ready to win…second place trophies aren’t going to solve any of the problems that everybody listening here wants to solve.” (33:58)
• Mike Thurmond:
  • “Sometimes if you want to build a bridge, you have to be the bridge.” (44:07)
  • “Access to affordable health care...is the right thing to do.” (41:21)
• Jason Estevez:
  • “Nothing is harder than middle school social studies. But I will tell you that those legislators sometimes act like middle schoolers.” (58:50)
  • “I have a vision for the future of the state that gives people something to vote for, not just something to vote against.” (64:21)

Key Timestamps

• Keisha Lance Bottoms
  • Leadership & Atlanta’s Fiscal Accomplishments: [03:07–04:59]
  • Affordable Housing Vision: [07:23–10:32]
  • Medicaid Expansion: [11:17–13:13]
  • Case for Her Candidacy: [13:29–17:06]
• Jeff Duncan
  • Baseball & Business Background: [21:14–23:59]
  • Crossover Politics & Trump: [26:02–27:23]
  • Policy Solutions: [29:19–32:42]
  • Electability Discussion: [33:58–36:07]
• Mike Thurmond
  • “Fixer” Credibility: [38:14–39:16]
  • Historic Firsts and Coalition: [39:16–40:21]
  • Medicaid/Healthcare: [40:42–43:45]
  • History Book Discussion: [45:30–47:16]
• Jason Estevez
  • Medicaid/Healthcare Stance: [53:48–55:17]
  • Education Vision: [55:48–58:40]
  • Personal Story/Caregiving: [59:16–61:20]
  • Housing & Affordability: [61:37–63:57]
  • Campaign Pitch/Candidate Distinction: [64:21–66:10]

Summary Table: Where the Candidates Stand

| Candidate | Healthcare | Affordability/Housing | Education | Distinction | |-----------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Keisha Lance Bottoms | Medicaid expansion | Statewide affordable housing| Free community college, no teacher tax | Executive experience, “tough fighter” | | Jeff Duncan | Medicaid expansion | Poverty, child care, all-county devt | Early childhood, moderate reforms | Crossed party lines, pragmatic centrist | | Mike Thurmond | Medicaid expansion | Use surplus, rural focus | Invest in K–12 | Statewide, rural, and diverse coalition builder | | Jason Estevez | Medicaid expansion | Housing trust fund, regulate corps | Universal childcare, technical college | Teacher, policymaker, diverse representation |

Final Thoughts

Each candidate offers a compelling narrative for Democratic voters and all Georgians—leveraging personal stories, executive chops, historical perspective, and promises for broad-based, pragmatic reform. While backgrounds and policy nuances differ, there is a striking consensus: the next governor must fix healthcare, make Georgia affordable, transform education, and restore a unifying, future-oriented vision for the state.

For more information on the campaigns:

• Keisha Lance Bottoms: keishaforgovernor.com
• Jeff Duncan: duncanforgeorgia.com
• Mike Thurmond: mikethermond.com
• Jason Estevez: jasonestevez.com

(All quotes, timestamps, and summaries reflect content from the podcast’s core interviews. Intro/ads/outro segments omitted.)