Bottoms Defeats Jackson in Georgia, Becomes First Black Female Governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms is the first Black woman elected governor of the United States. The former Atlanta mayor defeated healthcare businessman Rick Jackson in Georgia's gubernatorial race, a result confirmed by the Associated Press, CNN, and NBC News.

The Associated Press called the race at 9:24 PM EST on Tuesday, November 3, with more than 70% of the vote reported. Bottoms secured 54.4% of the statewide vote, while Jackson received 45.6%.

This victory makes Bottoms the first Democratic governor-elect in Georgia since 1998. For voters in the state, the result extends a pattern of close races that has defined recent elections in the Peach State.

The path to this win traces back to 2018, a year Bottoms cited in interviews as a turning point for community organizing. She noted that an average of just 21 votes per precinct separated the winner from the loser in that cycle. Organizers used that narrow margin as a rallying cry to mobilize voters in subsequent years.

Bottoms structured her 2026 campaign around affordability, targeting grocery prices, healthcare, housing, and childcare costs. She focused her efforts on reaching voters outside the Atlanta metro area, visiting cities including Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Albany, Valdosta, Waycross, and Rome.

"I get to talk, but most importantly, I get to listen and I can put faces with the fight, the people I'm fighting for," Bottoms said during a campaign interview. She contrasted her approach with Jackson's, noting that his campaign relied on broader economic messaging rather than localized outreach.

During the race, Bottoms proposed allowing local governments to suspend or end their grocery tax if they could afford to do so. She also pledged to eliminate state taxes on diapers, feminine hygiene products, and baby formula.

She emphasized the role of the governor's office in shaping the state budget. "The budget from the governor's office begins in the governor's office and then it goes to the state legislature for approval," she said. She identified mental health services, healthcare access, workforce housing, education funding, and small business support as key areas that begin with the budget.

Bottoms addressed younger and first-time voters, advising them to set aside what she called a "purity test." "Nobody's going to be perfect… put away the purity test," she said. She encouraged future public servants to "bring their whole selves to office," referencing how her father's incarceration shaped her perspective on seeing people beyond their mistakes.

With the race decided, Bottoms' team will begin staffing the new administration and reviewing the state budget. The administration is expected to prioritize legislative actions related to affordability and community engagement in the cities Bottoms visited during her campaign.