Keisha Lance Bottoms Moves Closer To Making History In Georgia
Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta and former Biden White House advisor, has won the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor, putting her one step closer to potentially becoming the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.
Bottoms secured the nomination Tuesday night in a strong primary victory that allowed her to avoid a runoff. Her win makes her only the second Black woman in U.S. history to win a major party nomination for governor, following Stacey Abrams, who won Georgia’s Democratic nomination in 2018 and 2022.
“Hello, Georgia! My name is Keisha Lance Bottoms, and I am humbled to be your Democratic nominee for governor of this great state,” Bottoms told supporters at her campaign headquarters. “Together with all of you, we have shown what happens when the people of Georgia show up and believe that their votes are our voice and that our voices will never be silenced.”
Bottoms Heads Toward November General Election
Bottoms, 56, will move on to the Nov. 3 general election, where she will face the winner of the Republican runoff between Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson. The Republican runoff is set after neither candidate secured enough support to win the nomination outright.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is term limited and cannot run again, leaving the governor’s mansion open in one of the country’s most closely watched battleground states.
Bottoms has campaigned as a “battle tested” leader, pointing to her time as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022. During her tenure, she led the city through the COVID 19 pandemic and the national protests that followed the murder of George Floyd.
Her campaign platform includes universal pre K, Medicaid expansion, affordable housing, support for farmers and efforts to lower costs for working families.
Bottoms Frames Race Around Costs, Rights And Trump
In her victory speech, Bottoms positioned the general election as a fight over affordability, economic stability and civil rights under the second Trump administration.
“Georgians sent a clear message tonight that they want a fight to stand up to Donald Trump, and all of the chaos that’s raising costs, that’s hurting our economy, that threatens the rights of generations before us fought for and died for,” Bottoms said.
The win was also met with support from national Democrats. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore congratulated Bottoms on X, calling her “a great mayor, great leader, great friend, and soon to be a great governor.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, also praised Bottoms’ record as Atlanta mayor, saying her leadership helped attract employers, create jobs, raise pay for police officers and firefighters, and support small businesses.
“Keisha is now running for governor to lower costs, expand Medicaid, protect rural hospitals, defend Georgians’ rights, and bring down the cost of housing for hardworking families,” Beshear said.
Biden Endorsement Boosted Bottoms In Primary
Bottoms also received a major endorsement from former President Joe Biden during the primary. After leaving the Atlanta mayor’s office, Bottoms served as a senior advisor to Biden and led the White House Office of Public Engagement.
“Those same qualities that made her a great mayor made her invaluable to our administration,” Biden said. “Smart. Focused. Gets things done. Georgia, she’s ready! She’s been ready.”
Bottoms now enters the general election with national attention on her campaign and Georgia’s political future. If she wins in November, she would not only become Georgia’s first Black woman governor, but also the first Black woman elected governor of any U.S. state.
