Jason Carter

Jason James Carter, born on August 7, 1975, is an American lawyer and politician associated with the state of Georgia. He served in the Georgia State Senate from 2010 to 2015 and was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Georgia in 2014. Carter is a grandson of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

Carter was born at Emory University Hospital. He is a ninth-generation Georgian and the son of Jack Carter and Judy Langford. Judy Langford is the daughter of James Beverly Langford, a former Georgia state senator. His grandparents include Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Carter attended Evanston Township High School, where he won the Illinois State Policy Debate championship in 1993. He then studied at Duke University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in philosophy and political science.

Following his undergraduate studies, Carter joined the Peace Corps and was stationed in South Africa. His work focused on education issues in rural areas near Lochiel, and he learned to speak Zulu and Siswati. This experience was inspired in part by his great grandmother, Lillian Carter, Jimmy Carter's mother, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India. Carter authored a book titled *Power Lines*, recounting his experiences in South Africa.

After completing his Peace Corps service, Carter attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating summa cum laude with a Juris Doctor in 2004. He clerked for Frank M. Hull on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. By 2013, Carter was a partner at Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, a law firm in Atlanta. His legal work included representing the National Football League Players Association, and he received the Stuart Eizenstat Young Lawyer Award from the Anti-Defamation League for his pro bono work defending voting rights.

In the 2010 special election, Carter was elected to the Georgia State Senate representing the 42nd district with 65.6% of the vote. His election marked the first time a member of his family won elected office since his grandfather's presidency. He was subsequently re-elected in both the 2010 and 2012 elections. During his tenure, he authored legislation to separate the state budget into education and non-education components and sponsored ethics reform measures, including limits on gifts from lobbyists and the establishment of a non-partisan redistricting commission. In 2012, he received the Common Cause Democracy Award for his work on ethics reform.

Carter voted in favor of House Bill 60, the Safe Carry Protection Act, enacted in 2014, which permits licensed gun owners to carry firearms into various public and private locations. The law received support from the Georgia Baptist Convention but faced opposition from Catholic and Episcopalian church leaders.

In 2013, Carter announced his candidacy for governor after commissioning a poll that showed a competitive race against incumbent Nathan Deal. During his campaign, he emphasized investments in education and workforce training, supporting increased funding for public education and technical training to meet industry demands. He expressed support for the Sons of Confederate Veterans-backed license plate featuring the Confederate flag and reaffirmed his stance in favor of marriage equality. Carter criticized Deal's handling of the state's economy and education funding during debates.

Carter lost the 2014 gubernatorial election to Nathan Deal, receiving 44.9% of the vote, which was 7.9 percentage points behind Deal.

In November 2015, Carter was appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Carter Center, having served on the board since 2009.

Carter's spouse, Kate, is a high school teacher and former journalist recognized for her work with the Athens Banner-Herald. They have two sons, Henry (born in 2006) and Thomas (born in 2008). Carter delivered a eulogy at his grandfather's state funeral in January 2025.

He authored *Power Lines: Two Years on South Africa's Borders* in 2003, recounting his Peace Corps experiences.