Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made history, defeating Republican Rick Jackson to become Georgia’s first female governor and the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state, in a seismic shift of political power as Democrats swept the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Bottoms’ victory marks the first time in more than two decades that a Democrat will occupy Georgia’s governor’s office, the last being Gov. Roy Barnes. She will succeed outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who was barred by term limits from seeking another term, to become the state’s 84th governor.
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night. Bottoms defeated Jackson, a billionaire businessman who received endorsements from Kemp and President Donald Trump and spent $200 million of his own money on the campaign.
“Georgia, we sent a message loud and clear,” Bottoms told supporters at her victory party. “We want a leader who will put Georgia first and will stand up to all the chaos coming out of Washington D.C.”
Bottoms said her campaign was for “every community and every corner of Georgia.”
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“This win is for all of us,” she said. “Thank you, Georgia. I am honored to be your 84th governor.”
Democrats also scored victories across Georgia’s statewide ballot, including the reelection of U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who defeated Republican challenger Mike Collins.
Speaking to a cheering crowd in Atlanta, Ossoff cast the results as a defeat for the term-limited president, entering his final two years in office.
“In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of a failed lame duck President Donald J. Trump,” Ossoff said.
He added that the country’s politics have been “small and selfish, bought by big money, unmoored from fixed moral principles, and resigned to intractable division.”
He called for healing “brokenness” in the country, not just pushing back on the president.
The party swept the state’s other top offices, winning races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. Democrat Josh McLaurin defeated Republican Greg Dolezal for lieutenant governor, while state Rep. Tanya Miller defeated Republican Brian Strickland to become Georgia’s next attorney general.
Former Fulton County Judge Penny Brown Reynolds defeated Republican Tim Fleming to become secretary of state. She is the first Black person elected to the position in Georgia.
Democrats also ousted Republican incumbents in several other statewide races. Lydia Powell defeated longtime Republican state School Superintendent Richard Woods, while Nikki Porcher won the labor commissioner race. Keisha Sean Waites captured the insurance commissioner seat, and Katherine Juhan-Arnold won the agriculture commissioner race.
Democrats will also gain control of the state Public Service Commission beginning in January with the election of Peter Hubbard and Sheila Edwards.
Bentley Hudgins won the race for Georgia State House District 90, making them the first trans/non-binary person elected to the Georgia General Assembly. Hudgins defeated Republican Samantha Boston in a landslide with 94% of the vote.
However, the election-night picture of the Georgia General Assembly remained unsettled Wednesday morning, with several legislative races still too close to call.
Democrats were within reach of taking control of the Georgia House of Representatives for the first time since 2004. The party needed 10 seats to secure a majority. Early Wednesday, unofficial results showed Democrats leading in enough Republican-held districts to potentially cross that threshold.
According to results reported early Wednesday, Democrats held an 86-82 advantage in called House races, with 12 contests still uncalled. A majority requires 91 seats. The Georgia Democratic Party declared victory in the chamber, but Republican House Speaker Jon Burns said several races remained close enough to potentially trigger recounts.
Control of the Georgia Senate also remained subject to outstanding results, although Democrats made gains in the chamber.
In Georgia’s congressional delegation, Republicans retained their majority, with Democrats holding five of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats.
However, Democrats regained control of Congress in what is considered as a rebuke of the Trump administration.
According to AP, Tuesday’s elections laid bare voters’ deep frustrations over high prices, the Iran war and concerns over government corruption. Democrats routed their rivals across the map, flipping states that have voted Republican for decades and that Trump won by double digits just two years ago.
