The nation’s first Black woman governor announces transition team and talks legacy at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
By Toni Odejimi
Special to Black Women Unmuted
ATLANTA — Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced her Georgia Promise transition team, giving Georgians a glimpse into how she’d implement her campaign promises in the state come January.
“We are going to continue to focus on those issues that we’ve heard loud and clear over the last year and a half of this campaign: those issues related to concerns surrounding the cost of living, all things related to affordability, expanding access to quality and affordable health care, and investing in our public schools, our teachers, and our students,” Bottoms said at a Nov. 6 news conference at the state Capitol.
Before a packed Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, the governor-elect delved more into the symbolism behind her win. She shared with the congregation the story of how, at the end of her campaign, she visited her great-great-grandmother’s grave in Crawfordville, Georgia, in a cemetery filled with unmarked graves of the enslaved.
“I don’t believe it’s happenstance that on the eve of this historic election across Georgia, that I made it to the grave site that we didn’t even know existed,” Bottoms said. “I got to tell her thank you, and I got to tell all the ancestors thank you and now I get to stand here and tell you all thank you.”
Democrats won big in Georgia on Tuesday, winning down the ticket and flipping the state House, though a race in contention could narrow that majority due to a vote-counting discrepancy. It’s the first time power has switched political parties since Republican Sonny Perdue defeated incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes in 2002. Republicans still control the state Senate, which could lead to potential compromises as both chambers have thin majorities.
Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announces her transition team during a news conference at the Georgia Capitol, Nov. 6, 2026.
Despite the historic nature of her victory, Bottoms ran a campaign that focused more on affordability concerns and less on her identity as a Black woman. She promised voters she’d help cut grocery prices, push for Medicaid expansion and put a moratorium on new data center development until the state could study the impact on local communities. She continued the same message, briefly mentioning her status as the first Black female governor in the state’s history.
“My husband put it in context,” Bottoms said. “He said, ‘There have been a lot of Black women in America over the course of history, and God has said, ‘You get to be the first.’ I don’t take that lightly.”
Georgia’s surplus budget is less than the $14.6 billion at the start of FY26, which could make it difficult for Bottoms to keep some of her promises, such as expanded mental health services. She acknowledged that, given federal cuts to multiple agencies, including the Veterans Affairs and Education departments, her administration will have fewer resources to work with than previous administrations.
Bottoms wants to eliminate Georgia Pathways to Coverage, the state’s partial, work-requirement expansion that critics argue is too restrictive for enrollees, in favor of Medicaid expansion, which lawmakers have been discussing for years. The federal government would mostly pay for the expansion.
A star-studded list of entertainment moguls, local politicians, and business executives were called to help the Bottoms administration get settled, including her former chief operating officer Jon Keen and former mayoral transition co-chair Vicki Palmer. In addition to Barnes, former Democratic Gov. Joe Frank Harris, former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, business executive and former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer and filmmaker Tyler Perry are serving as honorary co-chairs.
Legislative leadership, including House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, is working with Bottoms to analyze the budget and set legislative priorities for the 2027-2028 session. If elected in January, Hugley would become the first Black female Speaker of the House in Georgia.
Outgoing Governor Brian Kemp has committed to helping with the Bottoms’ administration transition.
It may surprise you all, but Governor Kemp and I actually have a very cordial, friendly, personal relationship,” said Bottoms.
Kemp also threw cold water on rumors that he’d call a special session to limit Bottoms’ power or to redraw maps, saying in a statement that he’d respect the election results. Kemp didn’t rule out calling a session to discuss final budgetary concerns. Bottoms said he didn’t specify what those budgetary concerns would be.
“The people made it loud and clear what they care about. They want leaders who are going to address those kitchen table issues that are impacting their daily lives,” said Bottoms.
Toni Odejimi is a freelance writer based in Georgia. She wrote this article for Black Women Unmuted, a Fierce content partner.
