Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made history Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state after defeating Republican businessman Rick Jackson in Georgia’s gubernatorial election.
The Democrat’s victory also makes her Georgia’s first woman governor and first Black governor, marking a turning point in a state with a history of racial inequality and political division.
Bottoms, 56, will succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who was barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Her victory ends more than two decades of Republican control of the governor’s office and marks the first Democratic win in the race since 1998.
The former mayor defeated Jackson, a billionaire health care executive who invested heavily in his campaign. Her victory reflects Georgia’s changing political landscape and the growing influence of Black voters.
Bottoms served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022, leading the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd. Before becoming mayor, she served on the Atlanta City Council.
After leaving office, Bottoms joined President Joe Biden’s administration as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and later served as a senior adviser.
Her gubernatorial campaign focused on expanding health care access, reducing living expenses, protecting voting rights, and increasing economic opportunities. Her proposals included Medicaid expansion, tax relief for teachers, and measures addressing housing affordability.
Bottoms’ victory follows the gubernatorial campaigns of Democrat Stacey Abrams, whose unsuccessful bids in 2018 and 2022 helped increase national attention on Georgia’s electorate and voter participation.
The election also marks a milestone for Black women, who have played a central role in American politics while remaining largely absent from governors’ offices.
Bottoms will take office in January, becoming the first Black woman to lead a U.S. state and opening a new chapter in Georgia’s political history.
