Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has formally entered the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race, bringing her intensive management expertise and a renewed deal with unity to the forefront of state politics. A proud alumna of Florida A&M College (FAMU), Bottoms goals to turn out to be Georgia’s first Black feminine governor, following within the footsteps of fellow HBCU graduate Stacey Abrams, who beforehand ran for the place in 2018 and 2022.
Bottoms, 55, highlighted her “battle-tested government management” from her tenure as Atlanta’s mayor, throughout which she managed important public issues of safety and supported police and firefighter pay raises. She additionally served as a senior advisor within the Biden administration, specializing in public engagement and voter safety. Her marketing campaign emphasizes increasing Medicaid, supporting small companies, and workforce coaching as key priorities for Georgia’s future.
In distinction, Stacey Abrams, a Spelman Faculty alumna, made historical past as the primary Black lady to be a major-party gubernatorial nominee within the U.S. Regardless of her groundbreaking campaigns, Abrams confronted defeats in each the 2018 and 2022 elections in opposition to Republican Brian Kemp. Her efforts, nevertheless, considerably elevated voter turnout and introduced nationwide consideration to voter suppression points in Georgia.
Bottoms’ entry into the race underscores the continued affect of HBCU graduates in shaping Georgia’s political panorama. FAMU alumni has a powerful HBCU neighborhood within the Atlanta Metro space which might be a galvanizing cornerstone for her marketing campaign. Her candidacy not solely represents a possible historic milestone but in addition displays a dedication to addressing systemic points affecting all Georgians, no matter race or political affiliation.
