During a surprising announcement on the evening of May 6, a prominent Democrat leader has revealed that she will not be running for reelection later this year.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who was supposedly on the short list for Joe Biden’s running mate last year, has announced that she will not be seeking a second term. The announcement was originally made in a private phone call with friends, staffers, and allies. Bottoms later released a statement and video, detailing her decision and her record as the 60th mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.
“As (husband) Derek and I have given thoughtful prayer and consideration to the season now before us, it is with deep emotions that I hold my head high, and choose not to seek another term as mayor,” Bottoms, who was elected in 2017 in a razor-thin runoff, said.
https://t.co/4yHFpvnVre pic.twitter.com/b7IJEIyojq
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) May 7, 2021
The decision is shocking to many people, as Bottoms had already launched her reelection campaign and had held a fundraising event featuring Joe Biden, which raised over $500,000 for her reelection bid.
The race for Atlanta mayor is now wide-open this year, and will likely draw in a significant number of new candidates.
In her letter, Bottoms stated that she is “not yet certain of what the future holds,” and noted that she is confident she would have won reelection if she had decided to run.
“It is my sincere hope that over the next several months, a candidate for mayor will emerge whom the people of Atlanta may entrust to lead our beloved city to its next and best chapter,” the Democrat leader wrote.
