ATLANTA — Donald Trump carved his path to reelection through Georgia, and less than two years into his term, Keisha Lance Bottoms told a crowd here that the president’s policies haven’t just raised prices, “he’s also raised blood pressure.” “Just yesterday, I met with a woman in Tifton who owns a mortuary, and she told me that even the prices of caskets have gone up,” Bottoms said to a roaring crowd on Saturday at the Cobb Convention Center. Rarely does she talk about the fact that if she wins, Bottoms would become the first Black woman ever elected governor in United States history. But it’s a milestone that resonates with many voters, especially Black women who say that it would send a message about the direction of their state and their country.
Eva Johnson, 80, traveled an hour to Bottoms’ Atlanta rally. She said Bottoms’ urgency when she talks about the economy reflects her own. How are we going to live?” said Johnson, who relies on Social Security.
I believe that it’s time for women to take their place because of their leadership abilities, and that’s what we need this time.” Bottoms’ campaign has benefited from Trump’s unpopularity this cycle, largely driven by voters’ anger at the impact of his policies on the cost of gas and food. A high level of enthusiasm for U.S. Jon Ossoff is also expected to lift Bottoms and the rest of the Democratic ticket.
At the Atlanta rally in support of both Bottoms and Ossoff, voters said that the former Atlanta mayor speaks authentically about the issues they care about most, and cited the cost of living, the cost of healthcare, data centers and employment rates for Black women as top concerns. It’s the third time in a decade that voters in the state are weighing the election of a Black woman to the state’s top job, after twice turning down Stacey Abrams. And Bottoms faces significant headwinds.
Georgia also hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1998. She’s taking on Republican Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive who has flooded the race with his wealth, contributing more than $100 million to his own bid. At the Saturday rally, Bottoms placards were drowned out by a sea of Ossoff flags.
A pile of free yard signs for people exiting the rally didn’t have any with her name on them. Around Atlanta, some voters have reported not seeing much in the way of signage, and Jackson is firmly dominating the airwaves. At Saturday’s rally, voters said they were firmly behind Bottoms, and some had already cast their ballots for her.
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