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Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has won the Democratic primary in Georgia’s race for governor, NBC News projects.
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Bottoms secured more than 50% of the vote, which was necessary to avoid a runoff and advance to the November general election.
She emerged from a crowded Democratic primary field that included former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, former state Sen. Jason Esteves and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who served as a Republican but later switched parties.
Bottoms, who had consistently led in the polls of the primary, is well known among Georgia Democratic voters after having been mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and after that a member of the Biden administration. Former President Joe Biden endorsed her in the final stretch of the primary.
Her opponent in the November general election remains unclear. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson advanced to a June runoff in the Republican primary, NBC News projects.
As Georgia has emerged as a key battleground in recent federal elections, it has still skewed more Republican at the state level. Georgia voters haven’t elected a Democrat governor since 1998.
In 2018, Democrat Stacey Abrams came within less than 2 points of winning the gubernatorial contest against Brian Kemp, who is now governor. Kemp beat her again in a 2022 rematch election by more than 7 points.
