Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic nomination for Georgia governor

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms during qualifying week at the Georgia State Capitol in March 2026. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination to be Georgia’s next governor on Tuesday, setting up a November election where she hopes to win a seat that has eluded her party for more than two decades.

Bottoms snagged a rare endorsement from former President Joe Biden after serving in his administration. She has argued to voters that she was “battle-tested,” trying to make a virtue out of a mayoral term where she had to manage crime, disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic before her surprise decision not to seek reelection.

Following her win Tuesday night, Bottoms said she was going to work to make sure “every Georgian has an opportunity to succeed.”



“It means stopping Donald Trump every time his policies hurt Georgia, and also taking action here to make life better for people across the state,” she said.

She cites protecting the right to vote and expanding healthcare, affordable housing and better education as among her top issues.

Democrats have not won the Georgia governor’s office for 24 years. It’s the third consecutive time that Georgia Democrats have nominated a Black woman as their candidate for governor, reflecting a party that relies on support from Black women as its most loyal voters.

In the Republican primary for governor, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson have advanced to the June 16 runoff, extending a bruising campaign battle.

2026 Georgia Midterm Elections

Stay in the know with WABE’s 2026 Georgia Midterm Election page, where you can find the latest election news, important dates, voting locations, candidate info, results and more.

Trump endorsed Jones last year, and Jones thanked him Tuesday night. A Jones win would boost the president’s influence in a critical battleground state. Trump’s kingmaker record in Georgia had been shaky, failing to dislodge Gov. Brian Kemp and others in 2022 and backing Herschel Walker in a Senate loss that year.

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Amy is a former Associated Press reporter. Associated Press reporter Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, contributed.