Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is the first African American governor elected in Georgia

The first woman to lead the state and the first African-American governor of the United States, Democrat Bottoms will succeed Brian Kemp after two terms. Former mayor of Atlanta and White House advisor, she focused her campaign on healthcare and abortion

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is the new governor of Georgia in the US midterm elections. She defeated Republican candidate Rick Jackson, becoming the first woman to lead the state and the first African-American governor in US history. His victory marks a political turning point for Georgia after the eight years of government of Republican Brian Kemp, who has reached the end of his second term.

The challenge against Rick Jackson

The election campaign was very heated. Bottoms faced an aggressive advertising offensive from his Republican rival Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare entrepreneur who entered the scene in this election. Thanks to his huge economic resources, Jackson had managed to establish himself in the Republican primaries by overcoming well-known candidates, and then flooded the media with his electoral campaign in view of the general vote. Despite this, the Democratic candidate managed to prevail at the polls.

Who is Keisha Lance Bottoms

Fifty-six year old Keisha Lance Bottoms is a well-known face in the Democratic Party. She was mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and her name was among those considered by President Joe Biden as a possible vice presidential candidate in the 2020 elections. After her administrative experience in Georgia, Bottoms served as White House advisor during the Biden administration.

Origins and career

The daughter of soul singer Major Lance, who was arrested for cocaine possession when she was eight, Bottoms graduated from law school and built a career as a judge before turning to politics. At the helm of Atlanta he managed some of the most delicate phases of recent years, including the Covid emergency and the social tensions following the killing of George Floyd, during the protests linked to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The electoral campaign

While running for governor, Bottoms won the support of prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama. Among the commitments made during the election campaign were the expansion of health coverage through the expansion of public insurance and measures to facilitate access to abortion.