GEOFF BENNETT: Georgia voters made history this week, electing Keisha Lance Bottoms as the state's first Democratic governor in more than two decades and the first Black woman ever elected governor in the country.

The former Atlanta mayor campaigned on lowering costs, expanding access to health care, and pushing back against the Trump administration.

But she will face the challenge of advancing that agenda in a state where Republicans still control the Senate.

I spoke with the governor-elect earlier today.

Governor-Elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, welcome to the "News Hour."

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS (D), Georgia Governor-Elect: Oh, thank you for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: You have, of course, made history as the first Black woman elected governor in U.S.

history.

What does this moment mean to you personally?

And what message did Georgia voters send with your victory?

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: It's deeply personal for me.

My family goes back at least five generations in Georgia.

We are able to trace our roots to a plantation in Crawfordville, Georgia, where my great-great-grandparents were once enslaved.

So just on a personal level, to have come from people who had to toil the soul of Georgia, and to now be elected governor has exceeded every dream that I ever had for my life.

So I'm grateful for that.

And just for the people of Georgia, for us to have had the blue wave, or the blue tsunami, as it's being described in this state, really represents a shift in Georgia, throughout the South, I believe, that's going to reshape who we are as a party, as a state for many years to come.

GEOFF BENNETT: I wonder, have you spoken with Stacey Abrams since your victory?

As our viewers will know, she ran for governor herself and spent years rebuilding the political infrastructure that allowed for Georgia to be competitive for Democrats.

What do you think this moment means for the movement that she helped build?

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: Yes, I haven't spoken with her, but for so many of us across the state, it's been about building on progress that's been made.

And we take all the lessons from elections passed, we keep all the great things that were done, and then we make corrections where necessary.

And this has been decades of work in Georgia.

We haven't had a governor, a Democrat governor, elected since 1998.

And there have been so many elections since then, so much work that's been done, not just from groups that Stacey has worked with, but a lot of groups across the state, names who never get called on national news, but people who've been deeply committed to building a true grassroots movement in this state.

And it's finally all come together in the way that we have hoped that it would for a very long time.

GEOFF BENNETT: What lessons should the national Democratic Party take from your winning campaign?

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: I think, across America, hopefully, everyone realizes that you have got to listen to people and those issues that matter to them and focus on those things that impact their daily lives.

Throughout the course of this campaign, it's been about the cost of living and people asking me directly, what can you do, what will you do as governor to address these issues, and then going back and delivering plans to do just that?

And, hopefully, Democrats across the nation -- and just based on the results, it appears that we all had the same takeaways, that we needed to focus on the things that mattered to people and not get distracted and not get pulled into fights that weren't productive for us to be able to deliver.

GEOFF BENNETT: Affordability, as you mentioned, was central to your campaign.

You have promised to raise the minimum wage.

How do you plan to deliver on promises like that, given that Republicans still control the state Senate?

How quickly can Georgians realistically expect to see your agenda put into action?

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: Well, we were able to take the House this time, and we are really one seat away from controlling the Senate.

So we're going to try and find those things that we can get bipartisan agreement on, those things we can get done immediately.

And if minimum wage, for example, is one of those things, then we're going to move forward with it.

But it may be something that we have to wait until we have control of the Senate.

But I do believe things like health care and education funding are things that we can cross party lines to find consensus on immediately.

GEOFF BENNETT: Finally, there is enormous symbolism in your election, especially for the Black women who have been so central to the Democratic Party's success over the years.

Symbolism also creates enormous expectation.

I wonder, do you feel additional responsibility to deliver, knowing how many people see themselves in your victory?

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: You know, for me, it is just the responsibility to deliver.

I moved around this state, and I asked people to support our campaign and to believe in the vision that I was setting forth for the state of Georgia.

And I want to make sure that I'm true to my word.

So it is -- it's beyond who I am and the symbolism, representation of who I am.

It is just about being an effective leader on behalf of all Georgians.

GEOFF BENNETT: Georgia's Governor-Elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, thanks again for your time.

We appreciate it.

And congratulations.

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS: Thank you.

Thank you.