Keisha Lance Bottoms secured Georgia’s Democratic nomination for governor, avoiding the bloody runoff battle facing her Republican opponents.
The former Atlanta mayor won Tuesday’s Democratic primary outright, setting up a November contest against either Lt. Gov. Burt Jones or health care executive Rick Jackson. Jones and Jackson are headed to a June 16 Republican runoff after surviving a costly and crowded GOP field.
Bottoms entered the race with high name recognition from her time leading Atlanta and later serving in former President Joe Biden’s administration. She received a rare Biden endorsement, giving her a major national Democratic boost in the primary.
Bottoms is likely to face renewed scrutiny over her Atlanta tenure, when crime, disorder and the 2020 protests became central flashpoints, with Republicans preparing to target how she handled those issues as mayor, the Associated Press reported.
Her win gives Democrats a head start in the general election while Republicans spend another month competing for their nomination. That matters in a state where the governor’s office has stayed out of Democratic hands for more than two decades. (RELATED: Georgia Primary Results Send Major Races To Runoffs)
Bottoms has cited voting rights, health care, affordable housing and education among her top issues. But the general election will likely turn heavily on national politics, Georgia’s cost of living concerns and whether Republicans can quickly unite after a bitter primary.
The race to replace term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to remain one of the most competitive governor contests in the country. For now, Bottoms has the Democratic lane to herself while Jones and Jackson keep trading blows.
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