Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Keisha Lance Bottoms avoids runoff, wins Democratic primary

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has won the Democratic nomination in Georgia’s gubernatorial race, becoming the party’s standard-bearer as it looks to flip the governor’s mansion in November.

The Associated Press called the race for Bottoms at 10:30 p.m. With 67% of ballots counted, 56-year-old Bottoms held 57.6% of the vote, compared to second-place finisher, 42-year-old former Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves, who earned 16.7%.

Bottoms’s outright victory means she escapes a runoff election and will face the Republican candidate in the November general election for the opportunity to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA), who is term-limited. 

Georgia GOP gubernatorial hopefuls Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson are advancing to a June 16 runoff election, after neither candidate secured the majority needed to win outright on Tuesday. The Associated Press called the race at 8:38 p.m. With 33% of ballots counted, Jones received 36.8% of the vote, while Jackson earned 34.7%.