Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Georgia governorship, becoming the first Black woman elected to the office
The former Atlanta mayor defeated Republican Rick Jackson after a campaign that drew national celebrity support and followed two previous runs by Stacey Abrams.
By Luca Harrison ·
Georgia politics has long been a battleground for statewide leadership, but the outcome of the 2026 election reshapes the state's history. Major news outlets have projected Keisha Lance Bottoms as the winner of the governor's race, making her the first Black woman elected to the office in the United States. She defeated Republican candidate Rick Jackson to secure the position.
The victory caps a decade of activity for Black women on the Democratic ticket in Georgia. Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor in 2018 and 2022, paved the way for Bottoms. With this win, Georgia has featured a Black woman at the top of the Democratic ticket for three consecutive gubernatorial elections. Bottoms previously served as Atlanta’s mayor, a role she held after following in the footsteps of Shirley Franklin, the city’s first Black woman mayor.
The Associated Press reported that eight Black major party nominees ran for governor this year. Only two were Black women: Bottoms and Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Minnesota. Prior to this election, the United States had elected only three Black governors, all of whom were Democratic men. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that Black women led the field in nearly every race for a constitutional statewide office during the recent primaries.
Celebrity endorsements played a visible role in mobilizing voters across the state and neighboring regions. Jenifer Lewis collaborated with Tasha Smith and Gail Bean to sing about the importance of voting. Kerry Washington posted a video of herself and her husband, Nnamdi Asomugha, dropping off a mail-in ballot, captioning it “Voting team goals.” She also shared videos supporting Bottoms throughout the campaign.
In Fulton County, Janelle Monáe shared a photo from an “I Voted” station. She wrote, “Early voted. Early in life I made a choice to never stand by and watch the people I love get bullied. My bill of responsibility is show up for my community.” Other figures who shared proof of voting included Kandi Burruss, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Danielle Brooks. Jayda Cheaves shared a photo from a Bottoms campaign event.
Younger stars targeted college campuses to encourage student turnout. Trinity Tatum and Marsai Martin marched with students at North Carolina A&T. Rapper JT visited the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee to urge students to vote. Florida A&M is Bottoms’ alma mater.
The election night saw other milestones for Black women in other states. Juliana Stratton, the lieutenant governor of Illinois, won her U.S. Senate race. Her victory ensures that three Black women will serve in the Senate simultaneously for the first time. In Colorado, Melat Kiros is projected to become the first Black Ethiopian woman sent to the U.S. Congress from that state.
