Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — Once Floated as Biden VP Pick — Won’t Seek Reelection

Megan Varner/Getty Images Keisha Lance Bottoms

In a surprise announcement late Thursday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she would not be running for reelection — writing in a letter addressed to the city that she made her decision with "deep emotions."

The letter, posted on Twitter, drew on the many challenges during Bottoms' tenure in office, including a massive cyberattack in 2018, the 2020 presidential election (in which Georgia played a starring role) and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"My faith teaches me that to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose. Nearly five years ago, I entered a season of seeking to become Mayor of Atlanta — the city that generations of my family have called home for over 100 years," Bottoms wrote, later adding, "It is with deep emotions that I hold my head high, and choose not to seek another term as Mayor."

Bottoms, who was elected in 2017, confirmed earlier reports by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she would not seek reelection after serving her first term.

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Seemingly anticipating the questions that might arise from the announcement, the mayor's letter said she was confident she could win another term but instead chose not to after having "given thoughtful prayer and consideration" to the decision.

Still, she left the door open to seeking higher office in the future.

"While I am not yet certain of what the future holds, I trust that my next season will continue to be one full of passion and purpose, guided by the belief that within each of us is the power and responsibility to make a positive difference in the lives of others," she wrote.

Bottoms became a more prominent political figure over the last year, in part due to her name being floated as a potential vice presidential pick for then-candidate Joe Biden.

She stepped into national spotlight following the murder of George Floyd last May, when some of the peaceful protests in Atlanta descended into violence and looting.

Denouncing the "chaos," Bottoms spoke passionately at a press conference in June 2020, telling looters to "go home."

"What I see happening on the streets of Atlanta is not Atlanta. This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.," she said.

Bottoms also made headlines for her response to former President Donald Trump's comments on the protests.

During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Bottoms urged the president to "stop talking," saying that he was only making things "worse" with his disdainful rhetoric.

"He should just stop talking ... He speaks and he makes it worse. There are times when you should just be quiet and I wish that he would just be quiet. Or if he can't be silent, if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray he reads it and at least says the right things, because he is making it worse," she said.

RELATED: George Floyd's Brother Says Trump 'Didn't Give Me the Opportunity to Even Speak' During Call

But Bottoms also faced scrutiny for her relationship with Atlanta's police department and how she was addressing the city's crime rate.

Earlier this week, she told reporters gathered at City Hall that she would "wave a wand or make a speech" to end the violence if she could, adding that she felt Georgia lawmakers need to address gun violence with stricter laws.

"Out of all the states, our laws are some of the most lax," Bottoms said. "Until that happens, I'm sad to say that this likely will not be the last time I stand here."

Gun violence has been top-of-mind for many Georgia Democrats in the wake of a shooting spree at three Atlanta-area spas, in which eight people were killed. Six of the victims were Asian.

Bottoms has also announced the creation of a working group that would make recommendations about what can be done to combat crime in Atlanta.