GEORGIA — Former President Joe Biden on Friday endorsed former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the Democratic primary for governor of Georgia. The endorsement was Biden's first since leaving office last year.

"I've known her for a long time, and she's something special," Biden said. "The same qualities that made her a great mayor made her invaluable to our administration."

Bottoms served as a senior adviser in the Biden administration. Biden had included her on a short list of potential vice presidential running mates in 2020. Biden described Bottoms as smart and focused and said she gets things done. "Georgia, she's ready. She's been ready," he said.

Bottoms has held a lead in public polling in the Democratic primary. The field also includes former Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves, former state labor commissioner and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who served as a Republican before switching parties.

Candidates must receive more than 50% of the vote in the May 19 primary to avoid a runoff. The winner of the Democratic nomination will face the Republican nominee in the general election.

The Republican primary field includes businessman Rick Jackson, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and state Attorney General Chris Carr. Jackson and Jones currently lead the Republican primary in public polling. Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot run for reelection.

Georgia is a battleground state in federal elections but skews more Republican in statewide contests. The state has not elected a Democrat as governor since 1999, when Roy Barnes won the office and served until 2003. In 2018, Democrat Stacey Abrams came within less than two percentage points of defeating Kemp in the gubernatorial contest. Kemp then defeated Abrams in a 2022 rematch by more than seven percentage points.