By Janelle Sears
Keisha Lance Bottoms, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee, sat down with Blayne Alexander for a fireside chat to discuss the road to victory, campaign strategies, and the historical significance of her potential win.
Bottoms is in a tight race with Republican Rick Jackson as Georgia voters prepare to head to the polls this November. As of Aug. 14, Bottoms leads Jackson in the polls by about 4% according to Fifty Plus One, a journalist-led website specializing in elections and political polling.
The former mayor of Atlanta secured the democratic nomination in May with around 56% of the vote, defeating primary opponents Jason Esteves, Michael Thurmond and Geoff Duncan.
Even with this lead, Bottoms faces an uphill battle, as Democrats have not held office since 1988, despite the state becoming a key battleground in the last ten years. However, a win for Bottoms will make her the first Black woman governor in U.S. history.
Alexander, correspondent for Dateline NBC, and Bottoms discussed what it means to carry this knowledge with her as she continues to campaign throughout the state.
The fifth-generation Georgian told the crowd of her deep roots, dating back to a plantation in Crawfordville, Georgia, and cited the business her grandfather started as the personal history that keeps her grounded on the campaign trail.
The pair then discussed the recent criticism from a new opposing Jackson ad for traveling to Martha’s Vineyard, a popular vacation destination for affluent Black Americans.
“It’s noise, it’s nothingness,” Bottoms said about the recent criticism.
The candidate expanded on the legacy of Martha’s Vineyard serving as a place of refuge for Black people and its unique position to raise money for democrats.
“There are a lot of unsaid things in his attack on my having the audacity to travel to Martha’s Vineyard,” Bottoms said.
Segueing to campaign strategy, Bottoms spoke about campaigning outside Atlanta’s city limits as she transitions from representing one city to asking Georgia to trust her to govern the entire state.
Bottoms did not waver in her strategy and stood firm on the state, sharing many of the same wants, like sustainable schools and access to health care.
“They want the opportunity to have economic prosperity,” Bottoms said. “The starting point for some of our communities may be different, but the wants are very much the same.”
Bottoms remained confident in her ability to deliver to the state, noting that although the city of Atlanta is most familiar with her leadership, her statewide name recognition is at 80-90%.
“You can’t run for a statewide position with fear or apprehension,” Bottoms said about campaigning in areas of Georgia that are less willing or not willing to vote for a Black woman.
The chat then focused on the security of the upcoming election, given the federal government’s involvement in the 2020 election results.
“They are as safe and secure as any election can be in America right now,” Bottoms said of the safety and security of Georgia elections at this moment.
The candidate voiced her concern with the uncertainty of interference with voting access in the state.
“There’s been a constant erosion of access to the right to vote,” Bottoms said. “From the removal of ballot boxes in Georgia to reducing the number of days that we can early vote.”
The former city council member shared that her team has to stay prepared for any form of election interference in light of 260 FBI agents being dispatched to Fulton County in the last month.
“With this president, for all of us, you just have to be prepared for the unexpected,” Bottoms said.
Furthering her comments on voter security, Bottoms spoke to the strategy she and her team are planning to take regarding the recent mid-decade congressional map changes happening around the country that threaten to affect the impact of Black and minority voters.
Georgia has not made any plans to change its maps, but Bottoms says voters still need to stay vigilant and not just elect top positions, but also stay active in local elections.
Be the first to comment