Latest news with #WhiteHouseOfficeofPublicEngagement
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former ATL mayor announces run for GA governor
ATLANTA, Ga. (WSAV) — Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has officially thrown her hat into Georgia's 2026 race for Governor, Monday. Bottoms was the Mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 before deciding against running for re-election. She was then joined the Biden administration as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. The Democrat and early supporter of former President Joe Biden spoke with WSAV News 3's Andrew Davis via Zoom Monday. 'There's a lot of uncertainty and chaos that's coming out of Washington, D.C.,' Bottoms told Davis. 'And people are looking for a leader who's willing to fight and deliver for them. And after the November election, I made the decision that I wanted to present myself for service and work to earn the trust and support of people across the state.' Bottoms says expanding and improving Medicaid coverage in Georgia is her highest campaign priority. 'We fight tooth and nail to beat Alabama and LSU in football, but we're losing to Alabama and Louisiana when it comes to health care coverage. They've both expanded Medicaid, where only one of nine states in the country that's not expanded Medicaid. That means that 300,000 Georgians don't have coverage. Nine rural hospitals have closed across the state because we've not expanded Medicaid. It's cost our state $710 million because we've not expanded Medicaid. That transcends party lines. It's about having access to quality health care in our communities.' So far, Bottoms faces competition from fellow Atlantan and state Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves, a lawyer and business owner. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has announced his run on the Republican side. More candidates are expected to announce their intent to run for governor in the near future. You can see Andrew's interview with Bottoms on Tuesday on News 3 beginning with Coastal Sunrise. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
20-05-2025
- Politics
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms launches bid for Georgia governor
ATLANTA -- Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms says her single term as Atlanta mayor gave her 'battle-tested executive leadership' that she can offer to Georgia voters as she runs for governor. Bottoms, 55, officially launched her campaign Tuesday, becoming the second well-known Democrat to jump into the 2026 race. State Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta announced his campaign in April. 'As we are facing the uncertainty and the anxiety that's being created in Washington right now, I'm running to be a fighter for Georgia," Bottoms told The Associated Press on Monday. 'I want to be able to fight and deliver for our communities, whether it's from expanding Medicaid, to delivering for our small businesses, to making sure that people have a pathway to vocational and career training or college,' she said. Bottoms and Esteves hope to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who can't run again at the end of his second term. On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr kicked off his campaign in December, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is expected to announce that he's running sometime this summer. Among other Democrats, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has expressed interest, and two-time candidate Stacey Abrams could choose to run again. Also running as a Democrat is the Rev. Olujimi 'Olu' Brown, a Methodist minister. A lawyer and former magistrate judge, Bottoms won election to the Atlanta City Council in 2009 and was reelected in 2013 before outgoing Mayor Kasim Reed endorsed her as his successor. Bottoms narrowly was elected and served one term that was defined by the pandemic. Every Atlanta mayor since World War II had sought a second term before the day in 2021 when Bottoms shocked Georgia's political establishment by saying she would not. But she says that didn't reflect a lack of desire for public service. 'Not having the energy to do the job, that was not the case. In fact, I ran through the tape,' Bottoms said, arguing she continued to accomplish things until the end of her term. As an early supporter of former President Joe Biden, Bottoms was among those considered to be his vice president. After stepping down as mayor, she joined the Biden administration as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Bottoms said she's not worried about being associated with an unpopular Biden. She also said she thinks her record on crime and public safety is a positive one, even though her administration struggled with the same COVID-19 era rise in murders as did other cities nationwide. "As mayor I gave our police and firefighters a historic pay raise. I actually supported the building of the public safety (training) center in Atlanta that's servicing people across the region,' Bottoms said. 'So I have a very strong record when it comes to public safety.' Proponents say the $118 million project, now complete, was sorely needed to replace outdated facilities. One early night of Atlanta protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020 ended with the burning of a police car and broken windows downtown that were broadcast worldwide. Bottoms won national praise that night for ordering protesters to 'go home' as she stood alongside Atlanta hip-hop stars Killer Mike and T.I. But weeks after Floyd's death, Rayshard Brooks, a Black man, was killed by an Atlanta police officer after a struggle following a field sobriety test. Atlanta's police chief resigned hours later. After one of the officers was criminally charged, Atlanta police officers called in sick in waves. Later, protesters burned down the Wendy's where Brooks died and an 8-year-old girl, Secoriea Turner, was killed when the car she was riding in was shot at near the restaurant. The turmoil led then-President Donald Trump and Kemp to repeatedly attack Bottoms' leadership. But Bottoms is betting that it's Trump that Democratic voters will view as the chaos agent.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Atlanta mayor launches bid for Georgia governor
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) formally launched her campaign for Georgia governor on Tuesday, becoming the most high-profile figure to jump into the Democratic primary. In a launch video titled 'For Georgia,' Bottoms pays tribute to her grandmother teaching her and her family to 'always stand up to bullies.' The former mayor goes on the offensive against President Trump, calling him 'a disaster.' Bottoms also slams Trump's senior adviser Elon Musk without naming him, saying Trump gave 'an elected billionaire the power to cut Medicare and Social Security.' Bottoms is vowing to make expanding Medicaid 'my top priority' and to eliminate state income taxes for teachers. She has also touted her record as Atlanta mayor giving police officers and firefighters pay raises. She also jabs at Trump for firing her from her post on the President's Export Council at the start of his second administration, noting that she had already resigned from the post. Bottoms, who served as Atlanta mayor for three years under the Trump administration, noted in an interview with The Hill that the 2024 election was 'a turning point' for her. 'While I didn't vote for him, I certainly hoped that this term would be different and unfortunately in many ways, it's been worse,' Bottoms said. Her candidacy comes as Democrats look to rebuild following their widespread losses in 2024. When asked what Democrats can do differently going into the 2026 midterms, Bottoms said the party needs to 'listen to people and believe them when they tell us what they care about.' 'People care about reproductive freedom, but if they can't put food on the table, it's often difficult for them to get to other issues,' she said. 'People care about the economy. They care about being able to afford to pay their rent and to buy a home. They care about their retirement fund.' Bottoms served as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022 and was among President Biden's choices to serve as his vice presidential pick in 2020. In 2022, Bottoms began serving as a senior adviser to Biden and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. The former mayor confirmed last month that she was positioning herself to run for governor. She joins Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves (D) and pastor Olu Brown in the Democratic primary. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) announced in March she would be pausing her exploratory bid for the role, citing her husband's cancer battle. On the Republican side Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has jumped in the party's primary, while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R ), and Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger have been floated as potential candidates. If Bottoms were to win the governor's race, she would become the first Democrat to hold the governor's mansion since 2003. She could also potentially become the first Black women to serve as a state's governor. Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears (R ) is the GOP nominee for governor in that state's 2025 elections. Georgia's current Gov. Brian Kemp's (R ) term ends as the state has become a pivotal battleground up and down the ballot. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the state's governor and Senate races as 'toss-ups.' Biden famously flipped the state in the 2020 presidential election, however Trump flipped it back last November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Former Atlanta mayor launches bid for Georgia governor
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) formally launched her campaign for Georgia governor on Tuesday, becoming the most high-profile figure to jump into the Democratic primary. In a launch video titled 'For Georgia,' Bottoms pays tribute to her grandmother teaching her and her family to 'always stand up to bullies.' The former mayor goes on the offensive against President Trump, calling him 'a disaster.' Bottoms also slams Trump's senior adviser Elon Musk without naming him, saying Trump gave 'an elected billionaire the power to cut Medicare and Social Security.' Bottoms is vowing to make expanding Medicaid 'my top priority' and to eliminate state income taxes for teachers. She has also touted her record as Atlanta mayor giving police officers and firefighters pay raises. She also jabs at Trump for firing her from her post on the President's Export Council at the start of his second administration, noting that she had already resigned from the post. Bottoms, who served as Atlanta mayor for three years under the Trump administration, noted in an interview with The Hill that the 2024 election was 'a turning point' for her. 'While I didn't vote for him, I certainly hoped that this term would be different and unfortunately in many ways, it's been worse,' Bottoms said. Her candidacy comes as Democrats look to rebuild following their widespread losses in 2024. When asked what Democrats can do differently going into the 2026 midterms, Bottoms said the party needs to 'listen to people and believe them when they tell us what they care about.' 'People care about reproductive freedom, but if they can't put food on the table, it's often difficult for them to get to other issues,' she said. 'People care about the economy. They care about being able to afford to pay their rent and to buy a home. They care about their retirement fund.' Bottoms served as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022 and was among President Biden's choices to serve as his vice presidential pick in 2020. In 2022, Bottoms began serving as a senior adviser to Biden and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. The former mayor confirmed last month that she was positioning herself to run for governor. She joins Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves (D) and pastor Olu Brown in the Democratic primary. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) announced in March she would be pausing her exploratory bid for the role, citing her husband's cancer battle. On the Republican side Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has jumped in the party's primary, while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R ), and Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger have been floated as potential candidates. If Bottoms were to win the governor's race, she would become the first Democrat to hold the governor's mansion since 2003. She could also potentially become the first Black women to serve as a state's governor. Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears (R ) is the GOP nominee for governor in that state's 2025 elections. Georgia's current Gov. Brian Kemp's (R ) term ends as the state has become a pivotal battleground up and down the ballot. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the state's governor and Senate races as 'toss-ups.' Biden famously flipped the state in the 2020 presidential election, however Trump flipped it back last November.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia governor's race draws the former mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms
ATLANTA () — Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms filed papers Monday to raise money for a 2026 run for Georgia governor. Bottoms, a Democrat who broke Atlanta tradition by not seeking an expected second term as mayor, says she'll hold an official announcement of her campaign later. But she has repeatedly signaled that she's entering the race. As an early supporter of former President Joe Biden, she was among the Black women considered to be his running mate. She left the mayor's office in 2022 after a tense end to her term and became a CNN commentator before joining the Biden administration as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. 'I am honored and humbled by the encouragement I have received as I have considered running for governor,' Bottoms said in a statement. So far, Bottoms faces competition from fellow Atlantan and state Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves, a lawyer and business owner with much less name recognition, in a race to replace that state's popular term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Two other high-profile Democrats — U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath and 2014 governor nominee Jason Carter — have said they aren't running, creating uncertainty over who will emerge as a top contender. Bottoms thus far has mostly cast her interest in the governor's race in terms of opposition to President Donald Trump. In a statement earlier this month, she said Georgia needs 'leaders who aren't blindly following Trump off of a moral and economic cliff but are focused on the pressing needs in our communities.' Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has also expressed interest in running for governor as a Democrat, and two-time nominee Stacey Abrams could choose to run again. Republican Attorney General Chris Carr announced his run for governor last year and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is expected to announce his candidacy. Bottoms' surprise decision not to run for reelection as mayor in 2021 came amid a spike in homicides during the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests over police brutality after George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis a year earlier. Bottoms won national praise at the time for ordering protestors to 'go home' alongside Atlanta hip-hop stars Killer Mike and T.I. but added that as a mother of Black sons, she empathized with people angry about police violence. She promised to review Atlanta's policing policies. Meanwhile, Trump and the governor bashed her for COVID-19 and public safety policies and Buckhead, Atlanta's wealthiest and whitest neighborhood, tried to secede from the poorer, Blacker remainder of the city. Weeks after Floyd's death, Rayshard Brooks, a Black man, was killed by an Atlanta police officer after a struggle following a field sobriety test. Atlanta's police chief resigned hours later. Brooks' killing sparked renewed protests in the city. Early in her term, Bottoms eliminated cash bail in Atlanta and ended the city jail's relationship with federal immigration enforcement agencies along with other city mayors in the wake of Trump's harsh immigration policies during his first term. Her tenure as mayor began under the shadow of a federal investigation into corruption during the administration of her predecessor, Kasim Reed. And just a couple of months into her time in office a devastating cyberattack compromised the city's computer network. Bottoms helped negotiate a long-term downtown redevelopment project, although Amazon chose to build its second headquarters in northern Virginia instead of Atlanta. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
