Key Takeaways
- Keisha Lance Bottoms earned more than 56 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, avoiding a runoff election.
- She advances to the November general election in the 2026 Georgia governor race.
- If elected, she would become the first Atlanta mayor to serve as Georgia governor and the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms secured the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor on Tuesday (May 19), clearing a crowded primary field and avoiding a runoff in one of the country’s most closely watched midterm races. Bottoms earned just over 56 percent of the vote, which allowed her to move directly to the November general election.
The win puts Bottoms one step closer to Georgia’s top office after previously serving as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022 and later joining the Biden administration as a senior adviser. According to the Associated Press, she is now aiming to help Democrats win a governor’s race in Georgia for the first time in more than two decades.
Following her victory, Bottoms said she planned to focus on making sure “every Georgian has an opportunity to succeed.” She also framed the race as a fight against the president’s influence in the state: “It means stopping Donald Trump every time his policies hurt Georgia, and also taking action here to make life better for people across the state... Georgia, the power is in our hands. Go let ’em know.”
Bottoms entered the race with strong name recognition and support from former President Joe Biden, who endorsed her earlier this month. Her campaign has focused on voting rights, healthcare access, economic equity, education, affordable housing, and other issues tied to working families across the state.
Bottoms now turns toward November
The general election picture is not fully settled yet. On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare executive Rick Jackson advanced to a June 16 runoff, meaning Bottoms will have to wait a few more weeks before knowing her opponent.
The race will likely draw national attention because Georgia remains one of the most important battleground states in American politics. Bottoms leaned into her experience leading Atlanta through the COVID-19 pandemic, protests, and public safety challenges, calling herself a “battle-tested leader.” She previously said, “I know what it’s like to go up against Donald Trump. I know what it’s like not to back down against Donald Trump.”
If elected, Bottoms would make history in more than one way. AP previously reported that no Atlanta mayor has ever become Georgia governor, and no Black woman has ever been elected governor of any U.S. state.