Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in US History

Keisha Lance Bottoms has won the race for governor of Georgia. She is now the first Black woman ever elected governor of a US state.

The Democrat defeated Republican nominee Rick Jackson and Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver on Tuesday. The Associated Press, CBS News, and NBC News have all called the race in her favor.

What the Win Means

Bottoms is the first woman ever elected governor of Georgia. She is also the first Black person to hold the office in the state’s history.

Her win ends more than two decades of Republican control over the Georgia governor’s office. Republicans have held the seat since 2002, when Sonny Perdue won it from Democrat Roy Barnes. Bottoms will take over from Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican who could not run again because of term limits.

Who Is Keisha Lance Bottoms?

Bottoms served one term as mayor of Atlanta, a period that covered the COVID-19 pandemic and unrest over police violence. She later worked as a senior adviser in the Biden White House.

Her campaign focused on health care access, lowering costs for families, voting rights, and economic opportunity in the state.

About Her Opponent

Rick Jackson is a Republican businessman running for public office for the first time. He put more than $200 million of his own money into the campaign, far more than Bottoms raised.

Former President Trump endorsed Jackson in July. Former President Obama endorsed Bottoms on October 8. Georgia was one of several states voting Tuesday. In the same state, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection to the US Senate, according to AJC’s coverage of the night.