Keisha Lance Bottoms formally launched her campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor Tuesday.
“Right now, we are facing chaos and uncertainty and anxiety based on the policies that are coming out of Washington. Georgians want and need a fighter,” said Bottoms during an interview with WABE.
Bottoms said she is prepared to be governor with President Donald Trump in the White House, as she was mayor for three years under Trump.
Since leaving the mayor’s office in 2022, Bottoms has done various jobs, including senior adviser to the president during the Biden Administration.
She served one term as mayor, which included battles with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp over COVID-19 policy and then-State Sen. and now Lt. Gov. Burt Jones over state legislative attempts to take over control of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. But Bottoms touts her ability to work with Republican state leaders.
“Sometimes we have political differences, and those are the things that often make headlines, but in the way that we’ve been able to deliver economically with working alongside leaders in the state, I think that’s a great example,” she said.
Bottoms said one of her top priorities would be expanding Medicaid in Georgia, something that has not happened under Kemp.
She also addressed the capacity for a Democratic governor to get things done if the legislature remains in Republican hands.
“You try and find common ground and you try and put party differences aside, but also the governor is a very powerful position in this state … and there’s the power of the pen,” she said. “And you have to remember, even with the legislature, there’s not as big of a divide as it used to be, even in making sure that seats are turned over in the legislature. So we’ll look for common ground the same way that I did with Speaker [David] Ralston, the same way that I’ve done it with Gov. Kemp on occasion.”
Bottoms was also mayor during the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd. She decided not to run for re-election in 2021.
Bottoms, who is an attorney, has also served on the Atlanta City Council and as a judge.
Hear more of our interview with Bottoms on this week’s “Plugged In.” Get it wherever you get your podcasts or Friday at 9:30 a.m. on WABE 90.1.
