Keisha Lance Bottoms’ campaign for Georgia governor has received a combined $2 million from billionaire donors Michael Bloomberg and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, adding fresh financial support to a race shaped by substantial spending from both sides.
According to reports from POLITICO and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Pritzker contributed $1 million to a political action committee supporting Bottoms on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Bloomberg also donated $1 million to her campaign, marking a significant injection of cash ahead of Georgia’s Nov. 3 election.
Pritzker’s contribution was described as part of an effort to support races involving Black and Hispanic candidates. The donations arrive as Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, competes against Republican candidate Rick Jackson, a billionaire health care executive who has spent heavily on his own campaign.
Jackson has reportedly spent nearly $120 million of his personal fortune on the gubernatorial race and his earlier primary contest against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. The source report also said his total campaign spending had exceeded $200 million. Bottoms, meanwhile, has raised more than $10 million for her campaign, according to the figures cited in the report.
The financial gap has made outside support a major feature of the contest. Bottoms’ campaign spokesperson, TaNisha Cameron, welcomed Pritzker’s contribution while arguing that the campaign remains competitive.
“Our campaign appreciates the investment from Governor Pritzker,” Cameron said in a statement. She added that the campaign believes it is well positioned to win, citing its message and momentum as the election approaches.
The Democratic Governors Association has also pledged $10 million to support Bottoms, making it her largest donor ahead of Election Day, according to the supplied report. DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper said the organization was increasing its investment in several states as it sought to support Democratic gubernatorial candidates.
Bloomberg has pledged more than $80 million to Democrats nationwide, the report said. His contribution to Bottoms comes amid broader spending efforts focused on competitive elections across the country.
The Georgia contest is also unfolding alongside the state’s closely watched U.S. Senate race. Republican Rep. Mike Collins is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, although the supplied report said political action committees from both parties were shifting resources away from Georgia’s Senate contest toward other races they consider more competitive.
With Election Day approaching, the donations highlight how wealthy individuals and national political organizations are helping finance the final stretch of Georgia’s gubernatorial campaign. While Bottoms has secured substantial outside support, Jackson’s personal spending has placed campaign finances at the center of the contest.
The donations do not determine the election outcome, and the race will ultimately be decided by voters on Nov. 3.
