Ex-Biden official wins Georgia Dem primary for governor in bid to end party’s losing streak

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who also served in the Biden administration, has captured the Democratic nomination for governor in the key southeastern battleground of Georgia.

Bottoms won a majority of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, the Associated Press reports, in a large field of candidates that also included former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican-turned-Democrat; former state Sen. Jason Esteves; state Rep. Derrick Jackson; and former state labor commissioner and former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond.

Democrats are aiming to break their losing streak in Georgia, where it’s been nearly three decades since the party has won a gubernatorial election. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. Roy Barnes’ 1998 victory. Since then Republicans have been on a winning streak, with former Govs. Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal, and Brian Kemp, all winning election and re-election.

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Bottoms was the frontrunner during the primary campaign, and faced plenty of attacks from her rivals over her single term as Atlanta mayor, which garnered harsh reviews. She was elected in 2018 but declined to seek re-election in 2022 and instead later served as senior advisor and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in then-President Joe Biden’s administration.

The former mayor’s rivals argued that Bottoms’ vulnerabilities could hurt the Democrats as they work to win back the governor’s office in Atlanta, during a midterm election cycle where the party is energized and Republicans are facing traditional political headwinds and a rough climate.

That energy was witnessed the surge in turnout in early voting in Georgia. More than a million ballots were cast ahead of Election Day, with Democrats enjoying a sizable turnout advantage over Republicans.