Atlanta Mayor Lance Bottoms talks about democracy and why she isn't seeking re-election

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ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed that the campaign of online vitriol targeting her did not affect her choice not to seek re-election during a conversation with former Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice.

The two political heavyweights had a conversation as part of the premiere edition of ‘Reimagining American Democracy’, a series that gathers the nation’s top experts in response to the uprising at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Bottoms stated that she did not seek re-election for a second term for a variety of reasons. “I can’t point to any one thing,” said Bottoms. However, she has always stated that she wanted to leave the city in a better state than when she first rose to the position.

She and Rice mostly spoke on the health of American democracy in addition to Bottom’s political future. Both women expressed similar views about the state of our country’s institutions.

Bottoms said, “It’s on the mend.” Both saw the absolute worst happen at the U.S. Capitol and that something terrible is occurring in state legislatures around the country. Bottoms believes, though, that healing is taking place across the country as people vote in record numbers.

While one of the women found fault with Georgia’s new election reform law, the other had a different opinion on how the law was referred to as ‘Jim Crow 2.0’. She explained that she is frustrated with both major political parties and their use of strategies that include phrases such as ‘voter fraud ‘and ‘voter suppression ‘.

Despite the closeness of recent Georgia elections, Bottoms noted, the electoral process has turned into a numbers game. Essentially, it was about restricting ballot boxes and removing the secretary of state from the state elections board. According to Bottoms, she had witnessed voter limitations first-hand.

Meanwhile, with the popular incumbent stepping aside, the upcoming race to succeed Mayor Bottoms is getting muddier as a batch of new candidates is expected to enter the fray. As things stand, Atlanta is setting up for another contentious election.

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