Keisha Lance Bottoms has won the Democratic primary for Georgia governor, clearing the field to become her party's nominee in what promises to be a competitive general election battle.
The former Atlanta mayor's victory came despite lingering concerns among some party operatives about her tenure leading the state's largest city. Bottoms served a single term as mayor before stepping down, a record that had drawn scrutiny from rivals and observers questioning whether her executive experience was sufficient for the state's top office.
Bottoms will now represent the Democratic Party in the general election, where she faces the Republican incumbent. Her campaign centered on her record in Atlanta and appeals to the party's base, but questions about the brevity of her mayoral tenure had dogged her throughout the primary.
The race highlighted divisions within Georgia's Democratic establishment about which candidate could best challenge Republican control of the statehouse. Bottoms ultimately prevailed over the field, earning the nomination despite the reservations some had expressed about her political resume.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Bottoms got the nod, but she'll need to answer for why one term running Atlanta is enough experience to run the whole state."
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