What We Know About Jimmy Carter's Grandson, Jason, Who Followed In His Footsteps
Jimmy Carter, humanitarian and former U.S. president, died in 2024 at the age of 100. He was preceded in death by his wife Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023 at the age of 96 . He's survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. One of those grandchildren has followed in the former president's political footsteps: Jason Carter, the son of John William "Jack" Carter (Jimmy and Rosalynn's eldest son) and Juliette "Judy" Langford.
Jason was a Georgia state senator from 2010 to 2015. Meanwhile, Jimmy was in the Georgia state senate from 1963 to 1966. In 2014, Jason then ran for governor of Georgia, a position his grandfather held from 1971 to 1975. While Jason was defeated in his first bid, he hasn't ruled out running for the position again in 2026.
Before getting into politics, Jason got his undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy from Duke University. While there, he met his wife, Kate Lewis. He graduated in 1997, and Jimmy was the keynote speaker for the commencement ceremony.
He was always close with his grandfather
After college, Jason Carter served in the Peace Corps in South Africa. This too has a deep family connection. Jimmy Carter was a long time supporter of the Peace Corps — his mother, Lillian Carter, served in the Peace Corps at the age of 68. There's even an award in her name that honors older volunteers.
After returning from the Peace Corps, Jason married Kate Lewis, and they have two sons together. Following his time in South Africa, he got his juris doctor degree from University of Georgia School of Law. He's now a partner at Bondurant, Mixon, & Elmore, an Atlanta law firm.
Jason is in the same political party as his grandfather, the Democratic Party, but he hasn't always agreed with all of his grandfather's positions. Despite political differences, they remained close throughout Jimmy's life, and Jason was able to give us some insight into the former president's friendship with Joe Biden. And even though Jason doesn't currently hold elected office, he's still politically connected, and he spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Not long after the news that Jimmy had died was made public, Jason shared the song "Last of My Kind" by Jason Isbell on X (formerly known as Twitter). The song's refrain — "Am I the last of my kind?" — makes it a touching tribute to his grandfather.