Keisha Lance Bottoms elected Georgia’s first female governor, first Black female Governor in US

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will be the next governor of Georgia.

Bottoms had been in a neck-and-neck race with Republican candidate Rick Jackson, who spent more than $200 million on the race for governor.

Analysts called the race the tightest for governor in 60 years.

Bottoms’ campaign focused on ensuring Georgians have access to affordable healthcare, housing, and stronger education. The message resonated with voters across the state.

In her victory speech Tuesday evening, Bottoms promised that no matter who you voted for, she would be on your side.

“No matter who you voted for tonight, I will be a governor for all of Georgia,” Bottoms said. “In big and small ways, you’ve shown that no amount of money will ever, never ever, ever overcome the power of the people.”

The descendant of enslaved Georgians, Bottoms rarely acknowledged the historic nature of her candidacy explicitly. But she often recounted her family history.

“I am at least a fifth-generation Georgian,” she said. “I say ‘at least’ because we can only trace our family back five generations — to a plantation in Crawfordville.”

She noted that her grandfather moved to Atlanta from rural Georgia and had to “walk through these back doors” of downtown buildings she would later enter through the front as mayor. She said her ancestry “is always present with me.”

“Georgia, we sent a message loud and clear. That we want a leader who will put Georgia first, and who will stand up to all the chaos coming out of Washington, DC,” Bottoms said. “But even more importantly, you sent the message that in these times, the division and acrimony, you believe in something foundational, and that is hope. And that is why we launched this campaign 532 days ago.”

How Bottoms made history in Georgia:

When she takes office in January, Bottoms will not only be Georgia’s first female governor, but she will also become the very first Black female governor of any state in the US.

Throughout her campaign, Bottoms rarely acknowledged the historic nature of her candidacy, but nodded at the circumstances as she recounted her family history.

“I am at least a fifth-generation Georgian,” she said on the campaign trail. “I say ‘at least’ because we can only trace our family back five generations — to a plantation in Crawfordville.”

Bottoms will also be the first Democrat that Georgia has elected governor in 24 years.

The last Democrat to hold the office was Roy Barnes, who served from January 1999 to January 2003.

He lost to Sonny Perdue in the 2002 election, making Perdue the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

What started Bottoms’ career?

Keisha Lance Bottoms built her public career in Atlanta’s courts, City Hall, and later the White House.

She earned a communications degree from Florida A&M University and a law degree from Georgia State University College of Law before working as a prosecutor and representing children in juvenile court.

She later served as an Atlanta magistrate judge.

Bottoms represented District 11 in southwest Atlanta on the Atlanta City Council from 2010 to 2018, spending nearly a decade in city government before becoming mayor.

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She also led the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority as executive director from 2015 to 2017. The authority oversees major public sports and entertainment facilities.

Bottoms won the closely fought 2017 mayoral election and served as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from January 2018 to January 2022.

She became the first Atlanta mayor to serve in all three branches of government through judicial, legislative and executive roles.

Her time as mayor included the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 protests and unrest after the murder of George Floyd.

She drew national attention during that period and clashed with Gov. Brian Kemp over Atlanta’s mask mandate.

Bottoms announced in 2021 that she would not run for reelection. Her time as mayor ended in January 2022.

President Joe Biden brought her into the White House in 2022 as a senior adviser to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

She served into 2023, working with business leaders, labor, Black Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, Latinos, AAPI communities and people with disabilities.

What promises has Bottoms made?

Keisha Lance Bottoms said cutting everyday costs for Georgia families would be one of her first priorities in office.

In a September interview with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot, Bottoms said affordability would be an immediate focus.

She has proposed giving local governments more flexibility to eliminate taxes on groceries. Her proposal also covers diapers and feminine hygiene products.

Bottoms has also proposed raising Georgia’s minimum hourly wage to $15.

Bottoms has called for expanding Medicaid insurance eligibility, pausing data center development, blocking the expansion of AI-powered Flock surveillance cameras used by law enforcement and raising the pay of teachers, firefighters and police officers.

During a June campaign stop outside a closed hospital in Commerce, she said more rural hospitals are at risk without expansion.

Bottoms said she wants to fully fund Georgia Pre-K and expand the program to include 3-year-old children.

She has also said she wants Georgia voters to decide whether to legalize casino gambling, with revenue potentially helping fund education and health care.

Under her proposed Drive Plan, Bottoms wants to lower the state gas tax to 28 cents per gallon and the diesel tax to 31.3 cents per gallon.

The plan would also end Georgia’s 2.25% auto insurance premium tax and require insurers to pass those savings on to drivers. Bottoms also wants to limit auto insurers to one rate increase per year.

Bottoms has also proposed finding more transportation money through corporate branding and partnerships at state welcome centers and charging stations because fuel taxes help pay for roads.

The state has not announced yet when Bottoms’ inauguration will be held.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.