Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has been tapped to join President Biden’s reelection campaign as a senior adviser, a role confirmed by the campaign to The Hill on Wednesday.
Bottoms, who previously served as senior adviser for public engagement at the White House from 2022 to 2023 and as vice chair of civic engagement and voter protection at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), brings a wealth of experience in public service and political strategy.
She held the mayorship of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022.
News of Bottoms’ move to the campaign was initially reported by Ebony just ahead of the first presidential debate scheduled in Atlanta.
Reflecting on current political dynamics, Bottoms highlighted concerns over the potential return of chaos under former President Trump’s leadership, telling Ebony:
“We spent four years tormented by the policies and erratic behavior of Donald Trump and another four years of promised retribution to his political enemies is just the tip of the iceberg of the chaos that he will once again bring to America.”
Bottoms rose to national prominence as a key surrogate for Biden during his 2020 presidential bid and was considered in the vice presidential selection process before Vice President Harris was chosen for the ticket.
Her decision to join the Biden campaign comes at a critical juncture as recent polling by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows former President Trump leading by 5 points in Georgia, Bottoms’ home state.
Biden faces challenges in gaining support among Black voters, with recent polls indicating Trump could potentially attract a significant portion of this demographic.
Bottoms’ expertise and advocacy within the Biden campaign are expected to bolster efforts to secure key constituencies and navigate the competitive political landscape leading up to the upcoming election cycle.
