There has been plenty of talk about how the Black male vote impacted the 2024 presidential election. Whether one believes it helped the current administration secure the electoral votes in Georgia or hurt the previous vice president’s chances of becoming the first woman to hold the office of commander-in-chief, the Black male vote will be under the microscope again in 2026.
Georgia has just over two million registered Black voters, according to data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. The impact on an election can be swung in either direction if the Black voter base decides to support a candidate. In the 2026 gubernatorial election, several Black men are running for the state’s top seat. Former State Representative Jason Esteves, former multi-time statewide elected official Michael Thurmond, who most recently was the DeKalb County CEO, and State Representative Derrick Jackson (D-68) are all running for the governor’s seat and will have the attention of the state’s Black male voters.
On Tuesday, Jan. 3, Esteves held what was being advertised as a Black men’s roundtable downtown at Atlantucky, a local business owned and operated by the rap group, Nappy Roots.
Black men gathered in small groups near the bar closest to the stage and at the tables near the windows. The room was full of potential voters, and they were there to hear what Esteves had to say about running for governor. Before he took the stage, he shook hands with the men in attendance, posed for photos, and exchanged greetings.
Asked how impactful the Black male vote can be in not only the gubernatorial election, but the other races being settled in November, Esteves said, “Black men have always had a significant impact on elections in this state. We are the second most reliable bloc when it comes to Democrats.”
With the most reliable voting bloc being Black women, the Black male vote has a certain significance in these Georgia races, like it did when Sen. Raphael Warnock was running, for example.
“In order for me to build a multi-generational, multi-racial coalition that it’s going to take to win, Black men are going to be an important part of that coalition. Which is why discussions like this are so important.”
Esteves said he wanted to make sure he was in front of Black male voters talking about the solutions to problems that are plaguing Black communities, but also “I’m the only candidate in this race who is offering plans and real solutions to the problems that people face every day,” he said.
During the event, Esteves introduced a Black Men’s Agenda, a three-part agenda based on health, wealth, and opportunity. As one of four Black men running for governor, Esteves, a husband and father of two children, said that no matter who is running, the three pieces of his agenda are of interest to the voters. Black, white, Hispanic, or otherwise.
“No matter who you are, you care about those things,” he said. “We all know what the issues are, and for a long time, politicians ignored those issues.”
The former State Senator was joined on stage by State Rep. Eric Bell (D-75), who introduced him to the crowd, Curtis Akeem, founder of D Dubs Arts Foundation, Mario Reyes, the president of Undugu Brotherhood, a grassroots organization, Atlantucky’s Operations Manager Kevin Irvin, and Marty Monegain, the executive director of The Black Man Lab. Each man took a moment to introduce himself, his organization, and his profession before Esteves began explaining why they were there.
“This is a powerful moment as I look around the room and see Black men gathered to talk about the issues,” Esteves said. “We’re going to have a real discussion about the issues.”
Sitting on stage at one of the few Black-owned breweries in Georgia, Esteves acknowledged that Black men don’t always get recognized for their contributions to the communities they live in, the families they help raise, and the businesses that help make those communities better.
“We have to counteract that narrative,” Esteves, a small business owner, said. “We have this roundtable here this evening, and we’re going to continue to have roundtables throughout this election to make sure people understand that I’m not just talking the talk, I’m actually walking the walk.
“We need to make sure we have a governor that has a plan, and I certainly have plans.”
During the roundtable, the topics of discussion included investing in early childhood education, medicaid expansion, building fresh food systems throughout Georgia, strengthening fatherhood rights, and creating a universal childcare plan. Esteves has often used the state’s budget surplus as a way to pay for these programs and others. One of those programs would be a billion-dollar small business low-interest loan program.
Many of the Black men in the room, who one could assume will be voters in the primary election in May and in the general election in November, took time to ask Esteves questions during and after the roundtable. He has their attention.
“Black men need to know they are an integral part of the winning formula here in Georgia,” Paramount Consulting Group founder and CEO Tharon Johnson told The Atlanta Voice during a recent discussion on the Black male vote.
Johnson agreed with Esteves that the Black male vote will lean Democratic when the chips are down, and both men said Black voters want to be heard.
“I believe Democratic candidates are going to take their concerns very seriously,” Johnson said.
Esteves closed the evening by saying that he’s running to change politics in Georgia. His candidacy, along with those of Michael Thurmond, Olu Brown, and State Rep. Derrick Jackson, gives Georgia’s Black voters multiple Black male options in the May primary.
“If we work together, organize together, and vote together, we’ll change the face of leadership in this state,” Esteves said.