Keisha Lance Bottoms

Democratic Party (D)
Governor · Georgia, United States of America · 2026
PurposeKeisha Lance Bottoms, former Atlanta mayor, is running as the Democratic candidate to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp in Georgia's open governor's race.

Economy
On the economy, the campaign proposes restructuring Georgia's Department of Economic Development around small businesses specifically, creating a new Office of Small Business led by a deputy commissioner focused on firms with 0–25 employees, expanding state small-business loan and grant programs, and letting cities and counties suspend local sales tax on groceries and essentials when prices spike. It also proposes a Georgia Housing Fast Track initiative to speed up permitting, expanded down-payment and rental assistance, and an affordable-housing trust fund for workforce housing.

Health
On health care, the campaign says it would expand Medicaid and end the state's Pathways program, launch a "Rural Care First" initiative to shore up rural hospitals' EMS, mobile health, telehealth, and labor-and-delivery services, create a Georgia Rx Savings Board to tackle drug pricing, and invest more in maternal health and mental-health crisis response, while describing reproductive freedom as something it would protect.

Agriculture/Food
The platform commits to helping families keep and grow their land, expanding sustainable agriculture and forestry training, encouraging farmer cooperatives to pool resources, making federal farm programs work better for underserved producers, and supporting farmers hurt by tariffs and trade disputes.

Security
On public safety, the campaign proposes more state support for local police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, expanded forensic and investigative capacity, targeted violence-reduction programs, universal background checks and a red-flag law, more diversion and treatment options for nonviolent offenses, and a stronger "Prison to Work" reentry program.

Education
On education, the campaign says it would fully fund Georgia's schools and modernize the funding formula, prioritize literacy and early learning, add financial-literacy coursework, provide universal childcare, eliminate the state income tax for teachers, and create a path to free technical and community college.

Infrastructure
The platform includes investment in flood mitigation and brownfield redevelopment, stronger water infrastructure, and — notably — a call to slow the current pace of data-center expansion given its strain on utility costs and water supply.

Governance
On governance and democracy, the campaign commits to restoring abortion rights, opposing further voting restrictions, protecting local election officials from political interference, reining in the State Election Board, expanding early and absentee voting, and making Election Day a state holiday. It also proposes a dedicated Governor's Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, a 24/7 veterans support hotline, and expanded license recognition for military spouses.

Compiled from public sources. This entry was not submitted by the candidate or their team. It was researched and summarized by ElectionManifestos.org from public campaign statements and news coverage, because the candidate is standing in an upcoming election and no self-submission had been received yet.

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