Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she is seriously considering a run for Georgia governor. In a statement released Friday, Bottoms invoked the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., saying there is a “fierce urgency of now.” She criticized Republican leaders for following former President Donald Trump, saying they are leading Georgia off a “moral and economic cliff.”
Bottoms added that she has already shared her intentions publicly and expects to make a formal announcement “soon.”
🧠 Background on Bottoms: Keisha Lance Bottoms served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 through 2022. She was one of only a handful of Black women leading major U.S. cities at the time. A lawyer by trade and a former judge and city council member, Bottoms gained national attention during the summer of 2020 for her leadership during the George Floyd protests. She was a finalist to be Joe Biden’s running mate and later served as a senior advisor to the president.
Bottoms chose not to seek re-election in 2021, saying she felt a divine calling to move on from the role.
🤷🏽♀️ What We Don’t Know: Bottoms did not share a timeline for when she’ll announce her decision, nor did she say whether she’s already forming a campaign team or lining up endorsements.
📍 Why It Matters: Georgia has become a battleground state in national politics, swinging between red and blue in recent elections. A Bottoms candidacy would likely energize Democratic voters and test the strength of Trump-aligned Republicans in a post-Kemp era. It would also signal a major return to the political spotlight for Bottoms, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the Biden administration last year.
📅 What’s Next: Expect an official announcement soon. If she runs, Bottoms will join what could become a wide-open Democratic field in a race that may reshape Georgia’s political future. Earlier this week, Lucy McBath suspended her campaign for governor.
🙋🏽 Take Action: If you’re a Georgia voter, stay informed on who’s running and where they stand. Local leadership affects everything from schools to roads to healthcare.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
