Keisha Lance Bottoms launches bid for Georgia governor, outlines vision and defends record

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is making her case to become Georgia’s next governor, pitching herself as a battle-tested executive focused on affordability, health care access, and education investment.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is making her case to become Georgia’s next governor, pitching herself as a battle-tested executive focused on affordability, health care access, and education investment.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, says her experience leading Atlanta through the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, economic uncertainty, and a major cyberattack prepared her to guide Georgia during turbulent times. Her campaign platform includes expanding Medicaid to cover hundreds of thousands of uninsured Georgians, eliminating state income taxes for teachers, cracking down on corporate landlords, and increasing education funding.

But her record as mayor is expected to face intense scrutiny.

Atlanta saw rising violent crime and high-profile unrest during 2020, placing Bottoms at the center of national political debates over policing and public safety. Republican critics argue she struggled to maintain order during that period, while some Democratic opponents question whether her leadership approach can win statewide support.

Her decision not to seek reelection in 2021 is also emerging as a campaign issue. Bottoms has maintained that she finished her term strong, but opponents say the move raises questions about long-term leadership during crisis moments.

Georgia has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998, and Bottoms faces a competitive primary before a likely tough general election. With strong name recognition and executive experience, she enters the race as one of the most prominent Democrats in the field, but must convince voters across urban, suburban, and rural communities that her record in Atlanta can translate into statewide success.