Keisha Bottoms flips Georgia’s governorship blue

With 78% of the vote counted, the Associated Press called the Georgia governor’s race for Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, who led with 55% of the vote. Republican healthcare executive, Rick Jackson, received 45%. Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, will succeed the term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp.

Who is Bottoms? She campaigned on expanding healthcare access, making housing more affordable, improving public education, and lowering costs for Georgia families. Before running for governor, she served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022, where she dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, public safety concerns, and economic recovery, and later served as a senior adviser in the Biden administration.

Who is Jackson? He campaigned on bringing his business experience to state government, emphasizing economic growth, lower taxes, job creation, and more efficient government. He founded healthcare staffing company Jackson Healthcare in 2000 and built it into a major business. He entered the governor’s race without having previously held elected office.