Bottoms: Pillow Toss Ended Election Night; Housing Fund Now Top Priority

Keisha Lance Bottoms was listening to gospel music and writing her victory speech when her husband threw a pillow to alert her that the race had been called. The incoming Georgia governor said she was so focused on her remarks that she did not realize the results were in until the physical nudge from her spouse.

“I said, called what? He said, they called the race. I said, what race?” Bottoms recalled during an interview with Rickey Smiley. Her son Langston entered the room shortly after to confirm the news. Bottoms noted she had expected a much longer evening and was still finalizing her speech when the victory was announced.

The election marked a shift in Georgia’s leadership. Bottoms stated that affordability, specifically housing, healthcare, and the general cost of living, will drive her agenda. She intends to expand and fully fund a statewide affordable housing trust fund. The model for this fund comes from a program established during her tenure as Atlanta mayor. The fund will provide rental assistance, down payment assistance, and support for affordable housing development.

“When people are struggling, people need to be housed, and they need to be housed with dignity,” Bottoms said. She credited her family of four and her husband of 32 years for keeping her grounded. On election day, her children still required her to iron pants and schedule a car service appointment. She said listening to their perspectives helped her connect with voters aged 18 to 24 by teaching her to speak less and listen more.

Bottoms discussed her relationship with outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, describing their personal rapport as pleasant despite political differences. She welcomed his decision to skip a special legislative session for redistricting or to limit the powers of the incoming governor. Before the election, Bottoms visited her childhood church and discovered the grave of her great-great-grandmother, Betsy Peek, who was born in 1845. Finding the grave one day before the vote reinforced the legacy of the generations before her.

The incoming governor also honored her late father, Major Lance, a Grammy-nominated singer. She said his example taught her humility and the value of giving others a chance. Bottoms closed the interview by stating that the excitement of election night must now turn into work for the state. “Georgia understood the assignment,” she said.