Historic Vision, Unapologetic Action: Keisha Lance Bottoms Lays Out Her Roadmap for Georgia on the Wake Up With Dee Morning Show

Host Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler goes one-on-one with the Democratic nominee for governor on Medicaid expansion, affordable housing, reproductive rights, and the urgent push for voter turnout.

A palpable sense of history filled the airwaves of News & Talk WAOK as Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler sat down for a candid, comprehensive one-on-one interview with Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms, on the Wake Up With Dee Morning Show.

The conversation marked a milestone in Georgia’s political narrative. If elected, Lance Bottoms would shatter glass ceilings as the first Black woman elected governor in American history—a moment embodying decades of civic resilience, grassroots organizing, and leadership by Black women who have long stood as the backbone of Georgia's democracy.

Reflecting on her journey, Lance Bottoms recalled visiting her childhood church, First Corinth Missionary Baptist Church on Bankhead Highway (now Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway). Citing Reverend E.L. Jones’s sermon asking, “Can anything good come from Bankhead?”—a play on Scripture—she shared how representation drives her mission:

“Seeing those kids in church, seeing those kids at NCNW... it means more to me than they will ever know,” Lance Bottoms shared. “Representation matters. My philosophy was always: the good work will speak for itself. But in this age of misinformation, a big lesson I’ve learned is that you have to be the one to tell your own story.”

Setting the Record Straight: Leadership and Service

Addressing persistent narratives surrounding her tenure as Atlanta’s 60th mayor, Lance Bottoms made it clear that her record of public service stands on tangible results. Countering claims that she left her post early, she emphasized that she completed her full four-year elected term, having turned down multiple cabinet-level offers from President Joe Biden to see her commitments through.

During her administration, Lance Bottoms noted, she:

• Left the City of Atlanta with $181 million in reserves.
• Balanced the city budget each year without raising taxes.
• Provided Atlanta police officers and firefighters with historic pay increases.
• Established child savings accounts for public school kindergarteners.
• Supported the creation of 7,000 units of affordable housing.
• Facilitated transformative economic investments, including the Centennial Yards redevelopment near Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the conversion of Turner Field into Georgia State Center.

When she later served as Senior Advisor to the President in the White House Office of Public Engagement, Lance Bottoms brought the concerns of Georgia families directly to the Oval Office desk.

Responding to critics who question women in executive leadership, Lance Bottoms noted that women are already leading Georgia’s households, churches, and communities every day.

“I’m not a leader for men, not a leader for women, not a leader for Black or white,” she said, reaffirming her vision. “I will be a leader for Georgia. We are stronger together.”

A Clear Policy Blueprint for Georgia’s Families

Throughout the broadcast, Dr. Dee pushed past rhetoric into concrete policy priorities:

1. Accessible, Dignified Housing

Recognizing the escalating cost of living and rising rents pushing young Georgians and working families out of homeownership, Lance Bottoms proposed statewide housing solutions. Mirroring the affordable housing trust fund she established in Atlanta, she called for fully funded state initiatives that offer down payment assistance, expand rental support, and incentivize builders to develop housing infrastructure in both booming metro areas and underserved rural counties.

2. Full Medicaid Expansion

Lance Bottoms sharply criticized state leadership for refusing federal Medicaid expansion, leaving hundreds of thousands of Georgians without essential coverage while Georgia taxpayers subsidize healthcare programs in 40 other states. She connected healthcare access directly to hospital wait times, rural clinic closures, and routine preventative care.

Addressing Georgia’s maternal health crisis, Lance Bottoms stressed that the state ranks near the bottom nationwide for maternal mortality, with Black women disproportionately at risk. She also condemned Georgia’s restrictive six-week abortion ban, warning that vague and punitive statutes prevent doctors from providing standard emergency care for life-threatening conditions like miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.

3. Regulating Data Centers and Utility Strain

Turning to Georgia’s industrial development, Lance Bottoms called for an immediate pause on new commercial data center construction. She expressed concern over undisclosed state contracts and the long-term strain massive energy and water-consuming data facilities place on residential utility rates and local natural resources.

The Path to the Ballot Box: Every Single Vote Counts

With early voting nearing its final hours, Dr. Dee and Lance Bottoms underscored that civic power is exercised at the ballot box. Reminding listeners that narrow margins in past statewide elections were decided by just a handful of votes per precinct, Lance Bottoms urged voters to organize their circles, mobilize families, and cast their ballots early.

“We don’t want to have 11,000 or 12,000 votes be the difference in this race,” Lance Bottoms urged. “We’ve got to run the numbers up—too big to rig, overload the polls, and don't get comfortable.”

• Early Voting Ends: Friday, October 30th
• Election Day: Tuesday, November 3rd

Exercise your constitutional right to vote—check your registration status and locate your designated polling site today.

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