Keisha Lance Bottoms elected first Black female governor in United States history

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, UPI, The Guardian, NPR, The New York Times, Atlanta News First, and AP News all report. Her election makes her the first Black female governor in the history of Georgia and the United States. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

UPI reported that Bottoms defeated Republican candidate Rick in the election. Voters in 36 states cast ballots on Tuesday to elect governors across the country. Entering the election, Republicans held 26 governorships compared with 24 held by Democrats, with each party defending 18 seats in the 2026 races. [1]

The election offered Democrats an opportunity to gain control of statehouses held by Republicans, according to UPI. The outlet noted that the nationwide contests could also produce historic firsts, including the potential election of the first Native American female governor in the nation. [1]

Prior to the 2026 elections, 53 women had served as a governor of a US state, while four had served as governor of an unincorporated US territory and two as mayor of the District of Columbia. In January 2026, 14 women were serving as state governors, including ten Democrats and four Republicans. [8]