Spotlight on Keisha Lance Bottoms

Primary elections are happening all across the 50 states. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, won the Democratic primary on May 19, 2026. She will face the Republican candidate in the November general election. If she wins, Bottoms will be the first Black woman to lead the state, and the first elected Black woman governor in U.S. history. Here, Election Central takes a closer look at Bottoms and this historic race. 

Who is Keisha Lance Bottoms? 

Bottoms was the mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022. Her term overlapped the unrest and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread national protests against law enforcement. She was also the first mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, as a former Judge and City Councilmember. 

In 2020, President Joe Biden, who was impressed with the work Bottoms had done in Atlanta, considered her as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election. (He eventually selected Kamala Harris.) Bottoms later joined Biden’s administration as the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. President Biden is one of many Democrats who has endorsed Bottoms in the race for Georgia governor.  

Bottoms has also served as Chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee. She was on the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors. And she served as a Trustee for the African American Mayors Association. Bottoms won the Distinguished Civil Rights Advocate Award for her equity-driven leadership. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and four children. 

What Does She Stand For? 

Bottoms grew up in a working family and believes in public service as a way to build opportunities for other families like hers. In her campaign, Bottoms has prioritized standing up for working families and making Georgia more affordable. She believes in expanding healthcare coverage, increasing funding for education, and reforming the criminal justice system.  

Could Bottoms Win in November? 

This is not the first time that a Black woman has run for the highest office in Georgia. Stacey Abrams ran and was narrowly defeated in 2018 and 2022. Both times,Abrams was defeated by Republican Brian Kemp. Kemp has now reached the end of his four-year term, meaning that Bottoms will not have to challenge a sitting governor in November.  

To secure the Democratic nomination, Bottoms beat out a crowded field of candidates that included a former state senator, a former lieutenant governor, and a former county CEO (chief executive officer). Republican candidates Burt Jones (Georgia’s current Lieutenant Governor) and Rick Jackson (a billionaire health care executive) must compete in a runoff election in June to determine Bottoms’ challenger. Neither Jones nor Jackson were able to secure over 50% of the vote in the original primary. While she waits for the results of this runoff election, Bottoms can now turn her full attention to the November general election. Her opponents are still spending time and resources to secure the party’s nomination. 

Why Does it Matter? 

Aside from the historic nature of possibly electing the first Black woman governor in the nation, this election holds important political implications as well. Georgia is considered a key “battleground” state. Georgia’s voters chose Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Republican Donald Trump in 2024. But it has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998. Whether Georgia elects Bottoms or the Republican candidate in November could be an indicator of which political direction the state will go in future elections. 

Dig Deeper Though she lost her bid for Georgia governor twice, Stacey Abrams made a national name for herself by fighting for voters’ rights. Use the internet to learn more about Abrams. Write a short paragraph about what you find.