Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has broken a major political barrier in the United States, emerging victorious in Georgia’s gubernatorial election to become the first Black woman ever elected governor of an American state.
Bottoms defeated Republican billionaire Rick Jackson in the November 3 election, ending more than two decades of Republican control of Georgia’s governorship.
Her historic victory makes her Georgia’s first female governor, the first Black person elected to the state’s highest political office and the first Black woman in American history to win a state governorship.
The former Atlanta mayor achieved the remarkable feat despite facing a formidable financial challenge from Jackson, who reportedly invested more than $200 million of his personal fortune in his campaign.
An Atlanta native, Bottoms is the daughter of late R&B singer Major Lance and a graduate of Florida A&M University. She obtained her law degree from Georgia State University before building a career as a lawyer, judge and politician.
She subsequently served as a member of the Atlanta City Council before becoming the city’s 60th mayor in 2018, a position she held until 2022.
Her tenure as mayor coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests against racial injustice in 2020, events that placed her leadership under intense national scrutiny.
Following her tenure as mayor, Bottoms joined the administration of former President Joe Biden as a senior adviser and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Her election marks a significant turning point in American political history and a major breakthrough for Black women seeking the highest levels of political leadership.
With her victory, Georgia is set to return to Democratic control after 24 years of Republican leadership in the governor’s office.
Bottoms is expected to succeed outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp.