Keisha Lance Bottoms poised to enter race for Georgia governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms Eyes Georgia Governor’s Race

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is setting the stage for a potential gubernatorial bid in Georgia, a state that has morphed into a crucial battleground in recent electoral contests.

Having previously served in President Joe Biden’s administration, Bottoms took the initial step towards her campaign by filing paperwork on Monday to begin raising funds for the upcoming election. However, she clarified that an official announcement regarding her candidacy is still forthcoming.

“I am both honored and humbled by the support I have received while contemplating a run for Governor. By filing the necessary paperwork to establish a Campaign Committee, I am taking a significant administrative step in this journey,” she stated. “I look forward to making an announcement in the coming weeks.”

If she decides to run, Bottoms would instantly emerge as the most prominent Democrat in the race. Last week, state senator Jason Esteves officially declared his candidacy for the position.

Meanwhile, two notable figures have already chosen not to enter the fray. Four-term Democratic Representative Lucy McBath suspended her gubernatorial aspirations in March following her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Additionally, Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter and the Democratic nominee for governor in 2014, has also confirmed he will not be running.

With Republican Governor Brian Kemp term-limited, the Cook Political Report has classified the upcoming Georgia gubernatorial race as a tossup. Should Bottoms secure victory, it would mark the first time since 2003 that Georgia is led by a Democrat, and she would make history as the nation’s first Black woman governor.

Bottoms held the mayoral office in Atlanta from 2018 to 2022, and was considered a potential running mate for Biden in the 2020 election. In June 2022, she was appointed to direct the White House Office of Public Engagement. Her tenure as mayor was not without turmoil, facing challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to a significant cyberattack on the city mere months after she took office.

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