Ex-Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Enters Georgia Governor’s Race

Former Democrat Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced her candidacy for the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race.

Lance Bottoms announced her bid in a campaign video Tuesday where she took aim at President Donald Trump’s economic policies and him giving power to an “unelected billionaire” while showing footage of Elon Musk.

She addressed Trump claiming to fire her from her former role on the President’s Export Council in a Jan. 20 Truth Social post. “And while I laugh when Donald Trump spent part of his first day in office firing me from a job I didn’t even have, for thousands of hard-working Georgians who’ve lost their livelihoods, Donald Trump is no laughing matter,” she argued.

I was raised to stand up to bullies and to fight for what is right. We deserve better than what Donald Trump and Republicans are giving us. I’ll never be afraid to battle for the people of Georgia. https://t.co/vxeIdkx4RH#keishaforgovernor pic.twitter.com/ltgZGSW1fB

— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) May 20, 2025

Lance Bottoms said she had submitted her resignation in an Instagram post on Jan. 4. “You can’t fire someone who has already resigned. Of all the things happening in this word, not sure why I am on Donald Trump’s mind at 1:30 am following his Inauguration, but I count it as a badge of honor,” she wrote. (RELATED: Top Democrat Election Denier Reportedly Weighing Another Run For Georgia Governor)

In the campaign video, she goes on to highlight key campaign promises. These include expanding Medicaid and protecting first responders.

Lance Bottoms, who previously served as a city councilwoman and judge, held office as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. She later joined the Biden White House as a senior advisor and held top roles at the Democratic National Committee and in Biden’s 2024 campaign, according to NBC News.

Her campaign announcement comes after Georgia was one the first two swing states which erased Harris’ path through the Sun Belt, as reported by the Caller.

In an interview with The New York Times (NYT), Bottoms said, “This is a very uncertain and anxious time for people in Georgia,” adding that “people are looking for a leader who is willing to fight for them.” (RELATED: Brian Kemp Passes On Georgia Senate Run)

In her video, she said her first priority would be expanding Medicaid in Georgia. This is directed toward helping rural hospitals and securing health coverage for low-income residents, according to the NYT.

The NYT reported that Bottoms gained notoriety during her mayoral tenure, citing disputes with Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp over the COVID-19 policies, her response to the killing of George Floyd and the deterioration of her relationship with members of Atlanta’s law enforcement. (RELATED: Vulnerable Democratic Sen Notches Record-Breaking Fundraising Haul)

She called for people to return to their homes in 2020 when demonstrations in Atlanta led to destruction of property. “If you care about this city, then go home and pray that somebody like Reverend Beasley will come and talk to you and give you some instructions on what a protest should look like,” she said during a press conference.

The only two other candidates besides Lance Bottom’s that have officially entered the race include Republican Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Democratic State Sen. Jason Esteves, according to the NYT. Kemp announced that he would not pursue reelection in early May. Former candidate Stacey Abrams, a two-time Democratic opponent of Kemp who claimed her 2018 contest with the governor was stolen, is reportedly considering running for the office a third time.