FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 

January 8, 2026

CONTACT: press@keishaforgovernor.com

Savannah, GA — At tonight’s Democratic gubernatorial forum, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — running to serve as the next Governor of Georgia — laid out her vision for Georgia’s future, including making Georgia more affordable, supporting economic growth, and standing up to Donald Trump’s chaos coming out of Washington.

On Bottoms’ vision for Georgia:

“I know the opportunities and challenges that face this state, and I also know what's possible when you have leaders who keep all of us top of mind. I am here to earn your vote — continuing to listen to you, continuing to work on your issues, working with leaders like my friend Van Johnson and others to make sure that we are doing what's best on behalf of your communities,” said Bottoms. “This election is about the future. It's about the future that we want for our children. It's about the future for generations not yet born, I hope to earn your support.”

On creating good-paying jobs and investing in Georgia’s talent:

“I sat at the table with corporate leaders and university leaders in creating the Center for Workforce Innovation. That is a program at Atlanta Area Tech that trains people at jobs for Truist as coders, at Home Depot as plumbers, at Delta Airlines as mechanics, at Georgia Power as linesmen and -women,” said Bottoms. “This is something that can and should be scaled statewide. That is why I am going to find a pathway to free technical and community college.” 

Bottoms continued, “Whether you are someone who's graduating from high school looking to better your career, or if you're someone like my mother, who course changed midlife to going back to cosmetology school — working to scale these throughout Coastal Georgia and throughout the state of Georgia will be a significant game changer in our workforce.”

On growing Georgia’s economy:

“I spent this morning touring the Port of Savannah, and on that tour, along with ILA 1414, I saw some of the 14,000 trucks that go in and out of the Port, many of them owned by small businesses. So what we know is that economic development and workforce development go hand in hand,” said Bottoms. 

“We also need to make sure that there are people who are trained to take these jobs that are coming into our state. And also holding these corporate partners accountable when they get incentives, making sure that they are giving back to our communities,” continued Bottoms.

On lowering health care costs for Georgia families:

“If I am given the honor of being elected governor of this state my day one priority will be to expand Medicaid in this state. Even before the Big Ugly Bill, there were 300,000 Georgians who did not have health insurance because we did not expand Medicaid,” said Bottoms. “What may have been missed in the distractions coming out of Washington, D.C., this week is 1.5 million Georgians have seen their health care premiums increase because the ACA subsidies have not been extended. We have to stand in the gap.”

Bottoms continued, “Expanding Medicaid is not just about those who are recipients, it's about those who need access to hospitals in our rural communities.”

On Bottoms’ record of standing up for Georgians:

“I don't have to dream about fighting against Donald Trump, I've already done it and won when I led the capital city of this state. When the Trump administration would not allow officers to wear bodycam cameras when they were assigned to federal task forces, I made the decision to remove our officers. It then resulted in the Trump administration changing their policy across this country,” said Bottoms. “That means, as governor, I will continue to stand up to Donald Trump. To the extent that we can pick up the phone and have a reasonable conversation or meeting that will help on behalf of Georgia I'm willing to do that, but when we have to fight back I will lead the charge.”

On making Georgia a place more people can afford to call home:

“There was a study done by Georgia Tech that showed there was a shortage of 41,000 homes in Coastal Georgia. There are things that we can do immediately to address that. One being helping invest in infrastructure in this area, making it easier for people to build in this area, making it easier for people to access grants,” said Bottoms. “When I had the opportunity to lead our capital city, I created an affordable housing trust fund so that people who do live in their homes can avoid rising property taxes.”

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