Keisha Lance Bottoms elected as first Black woman governor
Bottoms makes history as first Black woman elected governor in U.S.
Georgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms hugs her daughter Lincoln during an election night watch party in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 3, 2026. Megan Varner/Getty Images (Photo via The Conversation)
Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected governor of Georgia on Nov. 3, 2026, defeating Republican candidate Rick Jackson. With this victory, she becomes the first Black woman ever elected to the office of governor in any U.S. state.
Bottoms, a Democrat and former mayor of Atlanta, secured the win with a margin of 8.6 percentage points. Her opponent, a billionaire healthcare executive, had contributed more than $200 million of his own fortune to his campaign. This election marks the first time a Democrat has won the Georgia gubernatorial seat since 1998.
The campaign focused on a platform that included expanding Medicaid, lowering costs for families, protecting voting rights, and increasing economic opportunities. This race was the third consecutive gubernatorial election in Georgia to feature a Black woman as the party's nominee.
On Nov. 6, 2026, the governor-elect announced the formation of her transition team, named Georgia’s Promise, which is to be led by Chief Operating Officer John King. Bottoms is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 11, 2027, succeeding outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who was ineligible for a third consecutive term.