Here’s what they did.
Three former Democratic presidents are backing the same candidate in one of America’s most closely watched elections, creating a major political showdown with President Donald Trump just one day before voters head to the polls.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden have each endorsed Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia’s highly competitive governor’s race, bringing considerable political attention to a state Republicans have controlled at the gubernatorial level for more than two decades.
Their preferred candidate is facing Republican businessman Rick Jackson, who has received endorsements from both Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
The contest has become a significant test of political influence, with three former presidents supporting the Democratic nominee while the sitting president stands behind her Republican opponent.
And with Election Day approaching on November 3, the outcome remains uncertain.
Bill Clinton Makes Last-Minute Election Move
Clinton became the latest former president to enter the Georgia governor’s race on Monday, November 2, appearing in a campaign advertisement supporting Bottoms.
The 80-year-old former president praised the former Atlanta mayor’s leadership experience and encouraged Georgians to vote for her.
His endorsement arrived less than 24 hours before Election Day, giving the Bottoms campaign another prominent national supporter during the final stretch.
Clinton’s involvement follows endorsements from Obama and Biden, meaning all three living former Democratic presidents have publicly supported the same candidate.
Although their endorsements were announced separately, the combined support demonstrates how much attention national Democratic leaders are giving to Georgia.
The party is seeking to regain the governor’s mansion for the first time since Republican Sonny Perdue defeated Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes in 2002.
That history makes Tuesday’s election especially consequential for both parties.
Obama and Biden Join Effort Against Trump’s Preferred Candidate
Obama endorsed Bottoms on October 8, releasing a video praising her experience as Atlanta’s mayor, a city council member, and a judge.
He highlighted several of her campaign priorities, including reducing household expenses, expanding Medicaid, strengthening rural hospitals, and addressing grocery taxes.
Obama has also participated in campaign activities supporting Georgia Democrats as the November election approaches.
Biden previously endorsed Bottoms in May, adding his support months before the final campaign push.
The former president has a longstanding political connection to Bottoms, who served in his administration as a senior adviser and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
The endorsements have brought renewed attention to the close race between Bottoms and Jackson.
For Democrats, a victory would end more than two decades of Republican control of Georgia’s governorship.
For Republicans, defeating a candidate backed by Clinton, Obama, and Biden would demonstrate the party’s continued strength in an important battleground state.
Trump and Governor Kemp Stand Behind Rick Jackson
While the former Democratic presidents have lined up behind Bottoms, Trump is supporting Republican nominee Rick Jackson.
Jackson, a successful businessman, is seeking to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Kemp has also endorsed Jackson, placing Georgia’s current Republican leadership on the same side as the president.
Jackson has emphasized his business background and proposals involving job creation, economic development, and tax reductions.
Bottoms has focused on healthcare access, education, and reducing everyday expenses.
The candidates have also disagreed over several major issues facing Georgia residents, including Medicaid expansion, the minimum wage, and election laws.
Their competing proposals reflect broader differences between the Republican and Democratic parties over the state’s future.
Those differences could determine which candidate receives the support of undecided voters in Tuesday’s election.
Georgia’s Governor Race Could Make Political History
Georgia has become one of the most competitive states in national politics.
In 2020, Biden narrowly carried the state in the presidential election, becoming the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Georgia since Clinton in 1992.
Four years later, Trump reclaimed Georgia during his successful 2024 presidential campaign.
The state’s changing presidential voting patterns have made it an important political battleground.
However, Republicans have maintained control of the governor’s office since 2003.
Bottoms is attempting to end that streak, while Jackson hopes to extend it.
A Bottoms victory would also carry historic significance. She would become Georgia’s first female governor and the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.
Recent reporting has described the race as extremely close, with neither candidate holding a decisive advantage.
That uncertainty has encouraged both parties to devote considerable attention and resources to Georgia.
Another Major Georgia Election Adds To The Stakes
The governor’s race is not the only important contest taking place in Georgia.
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is facing Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a closely watched U.S. Senate election.
That contest carries national consequences because the balance of power in Congress will affect Trump’s ability to advance his administration’s priorities.
Obama has also endorsed Ossoff, while Trump and Kemp are supporting Collins.
With both the governor’s office and a U.S. Senate seat on the ballot, Georgia voters are making decisions that could shape state and national politics for years.
The two races are separate, but their outcomes may provide valuable insight into the political environment heading into the second half of Trump’s presidential term.
Will Three Former Presidents Influence The Final Outcome?
The combined endorsements from Clinton, Obama, and Biden are unusual in a state-level election, particularly so close to Election Day.
Their involvement gives Bottoms access to prominent Democratic voices with decades of political experience and national recognition.
However, endorsements alone do not determine election results.
Jackson has his own influential supporters, including the sitting president and Georgia’s current governor.
Both campaigns are attempting to convince voters that their candidate is best prepared to address Georgia’s economic challenges, public services, and long-term priorities.
The final outcome will depend on voter turnout and which candidate can attract enough support in a state that has repeatedly demonstrated its competitiveness.
For Democrats, a victory would represent a significant political achievement and end a lengthy Republican winning streak in Georgia governor’s races.
For Republicans, retaining control would be an important success in a state where both parties have invested heavily in winning elections.
With Clinton, Obama, and Biden supporting Bottoms and Trump backing Jackson, the contest has developed into one of the most closely watched political battles of the 2026 midterms.
Georgia voters will make the final decision on Tuesday, November 3, determining whether the state continues under Republican leadership or elects its first Democratic governor in more than two decades.