Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has clinched the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ. By securing more than half of the primary vote, Bottoms avoided a June runoff, besting a field that included former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan—who switched parties from Republican to Democrat—and former state Sen. Jason Esteves.
The Georgia governor's race is one of the most competitive in the country, rated a "toss up" by the Cook Political Report. Democrats see it as a prime opportunity to flip a seat they haven't held since 1998, when Roy Barnes was elected. Bottoms now awaits the outcome of the Republican primary, which is headed to a runoff between billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and Attorney General Chris Carr. The GOP runoff is scheduled for June 16, as detailed in our coverage of the Georgia GOP primary.
Bottoms, who served as a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, received the former president's endorsement during the primary. On the campaign trail, she focused on expanding Medicaid and protecting voting rights, issues that resonate strongly with the Democratic base in a state that has seen rapid demographic shifts.
“I’ve worn many professional hats: senior adviser to the president, mayor, city council member and judge,” Bottoms said at a debate last month. “But the most important title that I will ever have is as mother, and I think about the state that I want my children to be able to call home.”
Her tenure as Atlanta mayor drew both praise and criticism. She gained national attention during the 2020 protests following George Floyd's killing, when she held a press conference condemning vandalism while also speaking personally as a Black mother. However, she faced backlash over rising crime during the pandemic—a trend seen in many cities—and the firing of a police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks, a Black man.
The general election is expected to be a fierce battle, with national Democrats pouring resources into Georgia. The state's shifting political landscape, highlighted by recent Senate wins, makes this race a key battleground. For context, other key primaries are unfolding, such as Booker's victory in Kentucky's Senate primary and the Pennsylvania governor race setting up a Shapiro-Garrity showdown.
Bottoms' campaign has emphasized her executive experience and ties to the Biden administration, but she must also navigate the complexities of a state where suburban voters and rural turnout will be critical. As the race heats up, all eyes are on Georgia as a potential bellwether for the 2028 election cycle.
