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Politics · November 4, 2026

Keisha Lance Bottoms wins the Georgia governor’s race, flipping the office for Democrats

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Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has won the Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Republican Rick Jackson. This victory marks the first time a Democrat has held the office in over twenty years. Bottoms, a former Mayor of Atlanta and former Biden administration official, makes history as the first woman and the first Black person elected governor of Georgia, as well as the first Black woman governor in United States history. Despite being significantly outspent by Jackson—a healthcare executive who invested over $200 million of his own wealth into his campaign—Bottoms campaigned on economic affordability and healthcare expansion. The race was a key focus of the 2026 midterms in the battleground state, occurring as President Donald Trump's approval ratings saw a decline during his second term.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Georgia governor's race, defeating Rick Jackson.
  • Bottoms is the first Black woman to be elected governor in U.S. history.
  • The win flips the Georgia governor's mansion from Republican to Democratic control.
  • Republicans had held the Georgia governorship for over two decades.
  • Rick Jackson is a wealthy healthcare executive who heavily self-funded his campaign.
  • Keisha Lance Bottoms previously served as the Mayor of Atlanta.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Rick Jackson's total campaign spending or self-funding is variously reported as over $100 million, $200 million, $210 million, or $230 million.
  • Jackson defeated Trump-endorsed candidate Burt Jones in the Republican primary.
  • Bottoms campaigned with former President Barack Obama and Senator Jon Ossoff shortly before the election.
  • Bottoms is 56 years old.
  • Bottoms proposed eliminating grocery taxes and taxes on feminine hygiene products and baby formula.
  • Jackson's platform included blocking biological boys from girls' sports and bathrooms.
  • Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection on the same night.

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