Keisha Lance Bottoms has made history by becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a US state. The Democrat defeated Republican billionaire Rick Jackson in Georgia’s 2026 gubernatorial election, ending the GOP’s 23-year hold on the governor’s office. She will replace outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Keisha Lance Bottoms defeats billionaire Rick Jackson in Georgia
The 56-year-old Bottoms was declared the winner by the Associated Press on Tuesday, November 3. She secured 55.3% of the votes, defeating 72-year-old Jackson after the two candidates remained closely matched in polls leading up to Election Day. The Wall Street Journal had identified the Georgia contest as one of only four tossup races among 36 gubernatorial elections this year, citing the Cook Political Report.
Bottoms’ victory also marks a major political shift in Georgia. The last Democrat to win the state’s governorship was Roy Barnes in 1998. Republicans have held the position for the past 23 years.
An attorney and former magistrate judge, Bottoms campaigned on improving affordability and public services. Her priorities included reducing housing, healthcare, and driving costs, increasing school funding, and supporting Georgia’s farmers. She launched her campaign “to deliver for working families and bring steady leadership to Georgia in the midst of uncertainty and chaos coming from Washington,” according to her campaign website.
Before entering the governor’s race, Bottoms served on Atlanta’s City Council from 2010 to 2017 and as the city’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. She gained national attention in 2020 when protests following George Floyd’s murder turned violent in parts of Atlanta. Condemning the looting, she said, “What I see happening on the streets of Atlanta is not Atlanta. This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.”
She also criticised Donald Trump’s comments about the demonstrations, urging him to “stop talking.” It’s because he was making things “worse” for the city. However, her mayoral tenure also faced scrutiny over tensions with Atlanta’s police department and the city’s crime rate.
After deciding against seeking another mayoral term, Bottoms joined former President Joe Biden’s administration as a senior adviser for public engagement. She left the position in February 2023. She had also been considered as a possible running mate before Biden selected Kamala Harris in 2020.
