Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced her intention to run for Georgia governor in the 2026 election. Bottoms indicated that a formal announcement is forthcoming, after initially sharing her thoughts on considering the race. In her statement, she emphasized the need for effective leadership in Georgia, moving away from divisive politics. Bottoms, who served as mayor from 2018 to 2022 and held positions in the Biden administration, noted she is weighing her policy priorities and discussing her future with family. Her candidacy comes after Rep. Lucy McBath suspended her own campaign. The race is shaping up amid other potential candidates.
Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has announced her intention to enter the race for governor in 2026.
ATLANTA — On Friday, Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed to 11Alive News that she is running for Georgia’s highest office, stating that a formal announcement would be forthcoming soon.
Bottoms elaborated on her decision to pursue the governorship following a statement she released earlier in the day, indicating that she was “seriously considering a run.”
Read her statement here, affirming her intention to seek the position:
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us about the ‘fierce urgency of now.’ For Georgians, that means having leaders who are not blindly following Trump towards a moral and economic abyss but are dedicated to addressing the immediate needs of our communities. I’ve publicly stated my serious consideration of running for governor, and I anticipate making a formal announcement soon.”
Bottoms was the mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 before taking on a senior advisory role in the Biden administration. She later joined President Biden’s Export Council and has continued to play an active role in Democratic Party leadership.
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While Bottoms has not yet outlined specific policies for her campaign, she has stated that she is “keeping all options open” and has been praying and discussing her political future with her family.
“We know there will be races in Georgia in 2026. I’m observing what opportunities may arise,” she shared with 11Alive in January. “I’ll just say, stay tuned.”
Her decision to enter the race—first reported by BET and citing former HuffPost editor-in-chief Danielle Belton—follows Rep. Lucy McBath’s choice to halt her own potential campaign, mentioning her husband’s ongoing cancer recovery as a factor in her decision, stating, “I cannot make the decision to run for governor or not at this time.”
RELATED: Lucy McBath suspends her campaign for governor of Georgia | Here’s the reason
With Bottoms joining the race, the pool of potential Democratic contenders decreases. Other possible candidates include former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and current state Sen. Jason Estevez (D-Atlanta).
11Alive spoke with Dr. Andra Gillespie, a political science professor at Emory University, regarding Bottoms’ candidacy.
“I’m interested in seeing who else decides to run and how Bottoms performs against them,” Gillespie remarked.
“She undoubtedly possesses the experience that is sought after by those aiming for the Democratic nomination. Her connections within national Democratic party circles are strong, and with Lucy McBath’s choice to not pursue the governorship, the field is now wide open,” Gillespie elaborated.
On the Republican front, Attorney General Chris Carr has already taken steps to fundraise for a gubernatorial bid, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, an early Donald Trump supporter, is widely anticipated to enter the race.
Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, is unable to run for re-election in 2026, making this contest an open race.
“For Democratic candidates to have a chance at winning, everything has to align perfectly. They are likely counting on increasing dissatisfaction among Republicans at the national level to pave the way for a potential victory here,” Gillespie stated.
11Alive will keep monitoring the developments in the 2026 governor’s race as well as Bottoms’ official campaign launch.