(The Center Square) – Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called out President Donald Trump in her inaugural campaign video Tuesday as she joined the quest for the 2026 Democratic nomination for governor.
“Donald Trump is a disaster for our economy and our country,” Bottoms said in a video posted to social media. “From his failure to address rising prices to giving an unelected billionaire the power to cut Medicare and Social Security, it’s one terrible thing after another.”
Bottoms’ comments targeting Elon Musk leave out that departmental heads are appointments of the executive branch, not elected individually; and Musk did not and cannot unilaterally make cuts to either program referenced.
Bottoms and Trump exchanged barbs several times when Bottoms served as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022. She joined the Biden administration as senior advisor and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and served on Biden’s Export Council.
Trump and Bottoms swapped barbs again after Trump said in a social media post after his January inauguration that he “fired” Bottoms from her job on the President’s Export Council. Bottoms said she resigned on Jan. 4.
Bottoms said her priorities if elected would be expanding Medicaid and eliminating the income tax for teachers.
Bottoms joins Sen. Jason Esteves, D-Atlanta, and Olu Brown, founding pastor of Impact Church of Atlanta, in the race. Brown will hold his campaign kickoff on May 31, his campaign told The Center Square. Other Democrats said they are running but have not filed official paperwork or established a website.
Former state House member Stacey Abrams, defeated by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp twice, has not said officially if she will run again. Kemp is term-limited and cannot seek another term.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is the only announced gubernatorial candidate on the Republican side. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is forecast to run.
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, said last week he is running for lieutenant governor.
