Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will not seek reelection next year.

Bottoms reportedly told supporters about her decision during a virtual meeting Thursday night.

On Friday, Mayor Bottoms held a news conference, addressing questions about the announcement and what went into her decision.

In a tweet, Bottoms released a letter to the city Thursday night confirming she was not running for another term in November.

“As Derek and I have given thoughtful prayer and consideration to the season now before us, it is with deep emotions that I hold my head high, and choose not to seek another term as Mayor,” Bottoms said in the letter. “As I have done each day over the many years in which I have served in public office, through the remainder of my term, I will make every decision, keeping what is best for our communities top of mind, and will continue to work diligently to improve the lives of those in our city. I love you Atlanta. Thank you for the honor of serving as your Mayor.”

WSB investigative reporter Mark Winne has been told that Bottoms told supporters on the call that she will finish her term, she loves the city and will continue to fight for what she believes in.

Winne was told she shared her latest polling numbers on the call with 68% of voters giving her a positive review.

An internal polling document obtained by Winne showed Bottoms receiving a backing from a majority of black, white, male and female voters as well as younger and older voters. It showed 75% of voters also approved of her handling of COVID-19.

Bottoms, the second Black woman to lead Atlanta, was first elected in 2017, beating then-Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood after the election went into a runoff.

Bottoms previously served as the executive director of the Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority under her predecessor, Kasim Reed.

Bottoms is the only mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, serving as a judge and City Council member before being sworn in as Mayor.

During her time in office, Bottoms has taken on several major issues that have impacted the city.

In her first year, Bottoms signed an executive order to stop accepting detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Bottoms oversaw the successful staging of Super Bowl LIII in Feb. 2019.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bottoms criticized the executive actions taken by Gov. Brian Kemp and even issued her own orders over masking and regulations surrounding COVID-19. The governor sued Bottoms and the city over the orders, but the suit was eventually dropped.

During the riots last summer over the death of George Floyd, Bottoms took center stage as she urged rioters to go home and stop looting the city.

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Cox Media Group