Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks at a rally ahead of the midterm elections in Morrow, Georgia, US October 28, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks at a rally ahead of the midterm elections in Morrow, Georgia, US October 28, 2026 [Edgar Su/Reuters]
Published On 4 Nov 2026

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has made history as the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.

The former Atlanta mayor emerged victorious over her billionaire opponent, Republican Rick Jackson, who spent more than $200m of his own personal fortune to succeed popular outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp.

Bottoms, an adviser to former US President Joe Biden, was propelled to victory in part by the state’s significant Black voting bloc that turned out in large numbers during early voting.

During the campaign, she has faced Republican accusations that attempted to characterise her time as mayor as a crime-ridden decline for the state’s largest city.

“It’s a long-standing playbook to paint Atlanta as this big bad place,” Bottoms told the Associated Press in an interview.

Bottoms’ win marks the third consecutive time that Georgia Democrats have nominated a Black woman for governor. Stacey Abrams lost in 2018 and 2022 to Kemp, who is leaving office in January after eight years due to term limits.