Georgia Democrats take governor's office for first time in two decades

Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of Georgia on Tuesday. She is also the first Democrat to win that office in more than 20 years. The victory capped a wave of Democratic wins across state and local races in the midterm elections.

The party also retained control of other key positions. Incumbent Senator Jon Osoff defeated Republican Representative Mike Collins in his bid for re-election. Democrats additionally secured the offices of attorney general and secretary of state. They also captured the state house.

Stacey Abrams, who founded Fair Fight Action after running for governor in 2018 and 2022, said the results offer a chance to fix political issues in the South. In an interview Michel Martin, Abrams described the wins as an opportunity to start correcting and restoring rights that have been lost for more than 20 years.

Abrams noted that her organization's work has focused on rebuilding the Democratic Party and restoring public trust. She said this process takes time and requires consistent effort across multiple election cycles.

She expressed gratitude that efforts to combat voter suppression have led to these specific outcomes. Abrams said the results signal that sustained conversation and consistency pay dividends for the party's future in the state.