Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
ATLANTA (AP) — Former Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, made significant strides on Monday toward a potential bid for the Georgia governorship in 2026. This development follows her unconventional choice not to pursue a second term as mayor four years ago.
While Bottoms has not yet formally declared her candidacy, she filed the essential paperwork to initiate fundraising efforts for her gubernatorial campaign. Her repeated expressions of interest suggest she is serious about entering the race. The landscape is shifting, as two high-profile Democrats have opted out, leaving open questions about who will rise as a leading competitor.
Having been an early supporter of former President Joe Biden, Bottoms was rumored to be considered as a potential running mate. After stepping down from the mayor’s office in 2022 under challenging circumstances, she transitioned to a role as a CNN commentator before joining the Biden administration as the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
In a statement, Bottoms expressed gratitude for the encouragement she has received regarding her potential gubernatorial run: “I am honored and humbled by the encouragement I have received as I have considered running for Governor.”
Currently, she is up against Jason Esteves, a fellow Democrat from Atlanta and a state senator with less visibility, as they vie to succeed popular term-limited Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Bottoms’s unexpected choice not to run for reelection as mayor coincided with rising violent crime rates during the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread protests against police brutality that gained traction in 2020, particularly after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Her handling of protests earned her national acclaim, notably when she urged demonstrators to “go home” alongside notable Atlanta hip-hop figures such as Killer Mike and T.I. Furthermore, as the mother of Black sons, she expressed solidarity with those protesting against police violence and pledged to reassess Atlanta’s policing strategies.
Countering her stance, former President Trump and Governor Kemp criticized her governance during the pandemic, especially concerning public safety, amid tensions related to Buckhead, an affluent area of Atlanta that attempted to separate from the majority-Black city.
In the aftermath of Floyd’s death, the city experienced further turmoil when Rayshard Brooks was killed by an Atlanta officer, leading to protests and the resignation of the police chief within hours.
Michael Thurmond, the former CEO of DeKalb County, has also indicated a desire to run for governor as a Democrat. Additionally, Stacey Abrams, a two-time nominee, could potentially enter the race once again.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr has already announced his campaign for governor, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is anticipated to enter the fray soon.
In her earlier tenure, Bottoms introduced significant reforms like the elimination of cash bail in Atlanta and severed ties between the city jail and federal immigration agencies, responding to Trump’s strict immigration policies.
Her administration began amidst investigations into corruption linked to her predecessor, Kasim Reed, and only a couple of months after she assumed office, the city faced a major cyberattack that crippled its computer systems.
Despite these challenges, Bottoms played a key role in negotiating a significant downtown redevelopment initiative, albeit failing to secure Amazon’s second headquarters for Atlanta, which was ultimately awarded to northern Virginia.
Source
www.yahoo.com