Jaha Howard is a Democratic state senator representing District 35 in the Georgia State Senate, which includes parts of Cobb and Fulton counties. A dentist and small business owner from Smyrna, he won a special election runoff in December 2025 with 51.9% of the vote, defeating Roger Bruce, and was sworn in on December 31, 2025, succeeding Jason Esteves. His campaign focused on supporting small businesses, improving health care access, and reducing energy costs.

Education and Political Experience

Howard is a dentist who built his dental practice in District 35, where he grew up and raised his family with his wife, Vanessa. He served four years as an elected member of the Cobb County Board of Education, overseeing Georgia's second-largest school district, and was later appointed to the Cobb County Transit Advisory Board. Previously, he ran unsuccessfully for Georgia Superintendent of Schools, Cobb County Commission District 2 in 2024, and state Senate in 2017.