Keisha Lance Bottoms has made history after winning Georgia’s gubernatorial election, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a US state and the first woman to occupy the office in Georgia.
The Democratic candidate defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson in the November 3, 2026 election, ending more than two decades of Republican control of the Georgia governor’s office.
At 56, Bottoms’ victory represents a landmark moment in American political history, particularly for Black women who have remained underrepresented in the country’s highest elected executive positions. She succeeds Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who is leaving office after serving two consecutive terms.
From Atlanta Mayor to Georgia Governor
Born on January 18, 1970, Keisha Lance Bottoms built her political career in Atlanta, Georgia, where she rose through local government before becoming one of the state’s most prominent Democratic politicians.
Before entering electoral politics, she worked as an attorney and served as a judge in Atlanta’s municipal court, then in 2017, she won the Atlanta mayoral election, succeeding Kasim Reed.
As Mayor, Bottoms became the city’s chief executive, overseeing municipal administration and dealing with issues including public safety, economic development, infrastructure and housing.
Her tenure also placed her at the centre of national conversations about racial justice and policing, particularly during the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Following her tenure as Atlanta mayor, Bottoms moved into national politics as a senior adviser to former US President Joe Biden and subsequently became director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Breaking Georgia’s Political Barrier
Georgia has historically been a competitive state, with Republicans controlling the governor’s office for more than 20 years before her victory.
Her win which comes eight years after Stacey Abrams became the first Black woman nominated for governor by a major US political party in 2018 also reflects the growing political influence of Black voters, particularly in metropolitan Atlanta, who have become central to the Democratic Party’s electoral coalition in the state.
Although Abrams lost gubernatorial contests in 2018 and 2022, her campaigns helped expand Democratic voter participation and build a multiracial political coalition that contributed to the party’s growing influence in Georgia.
In the 2026 election, Bottoms defeated Republican challenger Rick Jackson, the billionaire founder of healthcare staffing company Jackson Healthcare.
Bottoms’ victory also coincides with another historic development in American politics as in Florida, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds was elected governor, becoming the first Black Republican to win a US gubernatorial election.
