Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Georgia Democratic primary in governor race

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Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has secured the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor during the primary election held on May 19, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

ATLANTA - Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor on Tuesday. The victory sets up a high-stakes campaign for the November election as the party aims to capture a seat that has eluded them for more than two decades.

What we know:

Bottoms won the race after receiving a rare endorsement from former President Joe Biden, having previously served in his administration in a White House job on the President's Export Council.

Bottoms argued to local voters that she was battle-tested from a time as mayor where she managed crime, trouble and the COVID-19 pandemic before her surprise decision not to seek reelection. She cites expanding healthcare, affordable housing and better education as her top issues.

Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic nomination for governor

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses her supporters at her official gubernatorial primary watch party following her win of the Democratic nomination. She has cinched the spot without a runoff.

What we don't know:

Official ballot percentages have not detailed the exact final margins between Bottoms and her primary opponent. Bottoms faced criticism from former state Sen. Jason Esteves during the primary, but she ultimately benefited from wider name recognition across the state.

The backstory:

Democrats have not won the Georgia governor's office for 24 years. This marks the third consecutive time that Georgia Democrats have nominated a Black woman as their candidate for governor, following Stacey Abrams as the nominee in the last two elections.

This trend reflects a party that relies heavily on support from Black women as its most loyal voters. Bottoms hopes to reverse the party's two-decade losing streak in the upcoming November general election.

Bottoms projected Democratic nominee for governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms is the projected Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia after building an insurmountable lead on election night. Analysts break down how uncounted ballots in Fulton County solidified the projection and what this means for the general election phase.  

Big picture view:

In the Republican primary for governor, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson advanced to a June 16 runoff to extend a bruising campaign battle. President Donald Trump endorsed Jones last year, and Jones publicly thanked him Tuesday night.

RELATED: Burt Jones, Rick Jackson advance to Georgia Republican primary runoff for governor

A win for Jones would boost Trump's influence in a critical battleground state. The president's kingmaker record in Georgia had been shaky after failing to dislodge Gov. Brian Kemp and others in 2022, alongside backing Herschel Walker in a Senate loss that same year.

What they're saying:

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey released a statement celebrating the victory and drawing a sharp line between the two parties.

"Keisha Lance Bottoms will be an outstanding governor who will fight for all Georgians by working to bring down costs, finally expanding Medicaid and protecting Georgians’ most fundamental freedoms. Keisha is a battle-tested, proven executive with a record of achievement in Atlanta – helping bring in new jobs, support small business, and build more affordable housing. The contrast in the governor’s race could not be more stark: while Burt Jones and Rick Jackson do whatever Donald Trump tells them to do, Keisha is a leader who will never be afraid to stand up and fight for Georgia. While a fractured Georgia GOP is heading for four more weeks of a nasty, divisive and bruising runoff, Georgia Democrats are united, fired up like never before, and ready to send Keisha to the Governor’s Mansion this November."

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