Latest news with #KeishaLanceBottoms
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Georgia state Rep. Derrick Jackson to join 3 other Democrats in run for governor
ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) — Georgia state Rep. Derrick Jackson said Tuesday that he's running for governor next year, joining three other Democrats in a race without a clear frontrunner after two high-profile candidates decided not to run. The metro Atlanta Democrat said he will launch his campaign Friday, emphasizing his work in business and politics and his 22 years of military service. The U.S. Navy veteran was elected to the state House in 2016 and worked as a marketing executive with General Electric. As governor, Jackson said he would 'put Georgia families first,' in part by expanding access to medical care and economic opportunities in rural areas. 'My Republican friends love to tout Georgia as the number one state to do business, but I'm going to campaign on making Georgia the number one place to work, to play, to have a family and for young professionals to realize that regardless of which of the 159 counties they live in, there's going to be opportunity there,' Jackson said in an interview with the Associated Press. He plans to push for stricter gun regulations and to repeal Georgia's abortion law, which took effect in 2022 and effectively prohibited abortions beyond about six weeks of pregnancy. Jackson will join former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta state Sen. Jason Esteves and Atlanta pastor Olu Brown in the Democratic primary. They will compete for the Democratic nomination in the race to replace the state's popular term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Democrat Stacey Abrams, who ran and lost to Kemp in 2018 and 2022, has not closed the door on a third run. Jackson finished sixth in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 2022. After losing, he was reelected to the House in 2023 following the death of state Rep. Tish Naghise. He was defeated last year by Rep. Carolyn Hugley after running for House minority leader. Despite past losses, Jackson said his experience campaigning for statewide office will help him pull ahead of his competitors. Inspired by civil rights icon John Lewis, Jackson said he has a 'moral obligation' to run because he saw state and federal policies that were 'not right, not fair, not just.' He wants to help Georgians who could be impacted by President Donald Trump's sweeping bill that Jackson said 'will devastate a lot of families' with provisions such as cuts to Medicaid funds. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, once the expected frontrunner known for her gun control advocacy, announced in March she wasn't running because she needed to focus on her husband's health after complications from cancer surgery. Former state Sen. Jason Carter, former President Jimmy Carter's moderate grandson and the Democrats' 2014 nominee for governor, said he would not run because his wife was diagnosed with cancer. ___ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Jason Estevez talks about his campaign for governor
The Brief State Sen. Jason Estevez has launched his campaign for Georgia governor and received early endorsements from Atlanta City Council members, state lawmakers, and education leaders. Estevez emphasized his experience as an educator, school board member, small business owner, and legislator as key qualifications for addressing the state's challenges. The Democratic primary is expected to grow more competitive, with former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms already in the race and potential bids from Michael Thurmond and Stacey Abrams. ATLANTA - Georgia's midterm elections may still be months away, but the race for governor is already heating up. What we know Sen. Jason Estevez, the first Democrat to officially launch a campaign for the office, has received a wave of early endorsements from a diverse group of state and local leaders. PREVIOUS: Sen. Jason Esteves announces campaign for governor of Georgia Atlanta City Council members, state lawmakers, members of the Atlanta Public School Board, and a DeKalb County commissioner released a joint statement backing Estevez's bid for governor. What they're saying Councilman Doug Shipman voiced his support publicly on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "I'm excited to endorse Jason Estevez for governor. I've worked with him for many years and know his dedication and commitment to a better Georgia." "I think those leaders who came out and endorsed me yesterday are folks who are on the ground, have been doing the work in our communities for many years and understand that Georgia needs a governor that not only is going to speak to the issues that need to be solved, but has been doing the work his whole life trying to tackle those issues, and that's who I am," Estevez said. He cited his background as an educator, school board member, small business owner, and state senator as qualifications that give him the experience needed to lead the state. "I'm running for governor because I believe that Georgia deserves better, that we have a state that's made progress but is leaving way too many folks behind," Estevez said. What's next Georgia's Democratic primary could become increasingly competitive. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her candidacy last week, and both DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and former Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams are reportedly considering a run. RELATED STORIES Keisha Lance Bottoms announces run for governor, vows to unite Georgia Keisha Lance Bottoms explains why she is best choice for governor Sen. Jason Esteves announces campaign for governor of Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath pausing potential run for Georgia governor in 2026 Estevez remains confident. "The key is making sure that we stay focused on the issues that matter to most Georgians," he said.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Keisha Lance Bottoms officially launches bid for Govenor
The post Keisha Lance Bottoms officially launches bid for Govenor appeared first on ClutchPoints. Former Atlanta Mayor and White House advisor Keisha Lance Bottoms has officially announced her run for Georgia governor in 2026, after weeks of speculation. Bottoms stated in an interview with FOX 5's Angelique Proctor at the Georgia State Capitol that her background as Atlanta's mayor and her most recent position as a top adviser in the Biden administration have equipped her to govern the state. 'As mayor, I led Atlanta through difficult times, supported small businesses, raised pay for first responders, and expanded affordable housing … Georgia families deserve far better than what Donald Trump and Republicans are giving us right now—I will be a governor for all Georgians,' Bottoms said in her announcement. Among her main priorities, she stated, will be extending Medicaid to the 300,000 Georgians who do not already have insurance, assisting small companies, and removing the income tax for educators. She also intends to alleviate Georgia's teacher shortage. Eliminating teacher state income taxes is also one of her main initiatives. 'I am a fighter. People are looking for somebody to fight against the chaos that's coming out of Washington,' she told Proctor. 'The chaos is being created by the Donald Trump administration, and I am ready to lead, and I am ready to fight on behalf of the community across Georgia. 'We still have a teacher shortage in the state, and we know it's impacting what's happening in our classrooms,' Bottoms said. Bottoms has worked in politics and law for a long time. She earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Florida A&M University. She attended Georgia State University College of Law in 1994 to earn her Juris Doctor after graduating from Florida A&M. She practiced juvenile law prior to being appointed a magistrate judge in Atlanta in 2002. After winning a seat on the Atlanta City Council in 2009, Bottoms made her political debut. She was re-elected in 2013. Up until 2017, she was the executive director of Atlanta's Fulton County Recreation Authority. From 2018 to 2022, Bottoms served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018 until 2022. In 2022, she succeeded Cedric Richmond as head of the Office of Public Liaison. The governor's race is anticipated to attract a lot of interest. Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, is not eligible to run again due to term limits. Last year, Republican Chris Carr, Georgia's attorney general, formally began his bid to succeed Kemp. State Senator Jason Esteves declared his intention to run in April on the Democratic side. In August 2024, Olu Brown, the former pastor of Impact United Methodist Church, made his campaign public. According to reports, Stacey Abrams, the Democratic contender for governor in 2018 and 2022, is thinking about running for office again. In addition to her long political and legal resume, Bottoms can now add executive producer to that list. She serves as an executive producer on Tyler Perry's new show She The People on Netflix. The political comedy stars Terri J. Vaughn as Lt. Gov. Antoinette Dunkerson, the first Black woman to hold the office, who 'runs a successful campaign and now must figure out how to thrive under a sexist and condescending governor while attempting to keep her family in line now that they're all in the public eye.' Bottoms feels the state is prepared for the historic moment if she is elected, becoming the first Black woman governor in Georgia's history.
CNN
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Keisha Lance Bottom tells Wolf Blitzer why she's running for Georgia Governor
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms lays out her plan to win the Georgia Governor's race in 2026 and tells CNN's Wolf Blitzer whether she noticed any signs of President Biden's decline.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Atlanta nearly tops nation in building new downtown apartments, research says
If you're looking for an apartment, there's more to choose from downtown. Atlanta is fourth among the nation's largest when it comes to apartment construction in the past four years. Since 2020, Atlanta has added 11,130 new apartments downtown, about a third of the city's new units. This rate of growth has held steady from the previous decade. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The data comes from Rent Cafe, a rental search website. The research is based on apartment data given to Rent Cafe's sister company, commercial real estate researcher Yardi Matrix, as of January for buildings containing at least 50 units. Rent Cafe says as of March, the average rent for an apartment in Atlanta is $1,758, and the average apartment size 970 square feet. TRENDING STORIES: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms officially announces run for Georgia governor This metro Atlanta city is ranked No. 1 on new 'Best Places to Live in the U.S.' list GA student in ICE custody after a mistaken traffic stop to have immigration hearing That cost varies greatly depending on location, apartment size and quality. Topping the new apartment construction nationally in the last four years was Washington, D.C., which has launched 22,959 new units in its downtown. Chicago and Denver round out the top three, and Charlotte, N.C., comes in behind Atlanta at no. 5. Looking for a place? Know your rights by reviewing Georgia's Landlord-Tenant Handbook. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
