Keisha Lance Bottoms Makes History as First Black Woman Elected Governor in the United States

History was made on November 3, 2026, as Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia's gubernatorial election, becoming the first Black woman ever elected to lead a U.S. state.

The 56-year-old former mayor of Atlanta defeated Republican billionaire Rick Jackson, ending more than two decades of Republican control of Georgia's governor's office.

Her victory also makes her Georgia's first female governor and first Black governor, marking a significant milestone in American political history.

Bottoms, who served as Atlanta's mayor from 2018 to 2022 and later as a senior adviser in President Joe Biden's administration, campaigned on expanding healthcare access, improving affordability and strengthening economic opportunities for Georgia residents.

For Black women across America and beyond, her election represents a historic breakthrough in political representation and leadership.