Keisha Lance Bottoms Makes History as Georgia’s First Black Female Governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Black female governor in the United States. She won the Georgia governor’s race as reported by the Associated Press, marking the first Democratic victory in the state’s gubernatorial race in over two decades.

This election outcome ends the longstanding Republican dominance in Georgia. However, Bottoms is expected to face a Republican majority in at least one chamber of the state legislature.

Bottoms, aged 56, defeated her Republican rival, Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive who had the endorsement of former President Trump. Although Trump secured a win in Georgia during the 2024 election, the state had previously swung to the Democrats in 2020, reflecting its new status as a competitive battleground with Democratic senators.

Throughout her campaign, Bottoms prioritized the full expansion of Medicaid, acknowledging that this initiative would need legislative approval. Prior to her gubernatorial run, Bottoms had served a challenging term as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022, during which the city dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying social unrest. Choosing not to seek a second term, she transitioned to an advisory role in the Biden administration.

Criticism from her opponent focused on her mayoral tenure, accusing her of neglecting Atlanta amid rising crime rates during the pandemic. Nonetheless, Bottoms channeled public discontent with Trump to energize her campaign, articulating a stance of opposition to Trump policies and a commitment to address economic issues such as high prices. Her policy proposals included options for local governments to remove sales tax on groceries and tax relief for public school teachers.

Data centers also became a significant topic in Bottoms’ campaign, with Georgia leading the nation in their development. She proposed a halt on new data center projects until experts offered future direction for the state. “We need experts in this field to sit around the table and tell us and give us guidance as to how the state of Georgia should move forward,” said Bottoms during her debate with Jackson.

While Jackson initially embraced Trump’s support, he later shifted his campaign strategy to emphasize his connection with Georgia’s current governor, Brian Kemp. Conversely, Bottoms received endorsements from prominent Democrats such as former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, and frequently campaigned alongside Senator Jon Ossoff, exemplifying the Democratic backing she garnered.

This report was provided by Sarah Kallis, a politics reporter at Georgia Public Broadcasting.