Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has made history by becoming the first Black woman elected governor in United States history. She defeated Republican candidate Rick Jackson in Georgia’s gubernatorial election, delivering a major victory for the Democratic Party.
Bottoms, 56, previously served as Atlanta’s mayor and worked as a senior adviser to former President Joe Biden. Her victory also makes her the first woman and first Black person to become governor of Georgia.
The election marks a significant political breakthrough for Democrats, who had struggled to win gubernatorial elections in the southern state for decades. Georgia’s governorship had remained under Republican control since 2003.
Jackson, a 72-year-old billionaire healthcare businessman, received an endorsement from President Donald Trump. However, he struggled to maintain momentum amid growing voter concerns about living costs, Trump’s declining approval ratings and the ongoing Iran conflict.
Bottoms built her campaign around expanding Medicaid, improving affordable housing and challenging several Trump administration policies. These priorities helped her attract a broad coalition of voters.
Born in Atlanta, Bottoms previously served as the city’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022. She later joined Biden’s administration in 2022 before securing the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in May 2026.
Her historic victory breaks longstanding racial and gender barriers in Georgia politics and marks a major milestone for American representation.
