Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said Wednesday morning that he wants City Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms to succeed him as the city’s next mayor.

Speaking during a V-103 radio show, Reed said Bottoms is "absolutely the best candidate" among the large field of hopefuls.

The mayor’s endorsement comes in the middle of a race where up to 13 candidates are vying for the city’s top post.

Keisha Lance Bottoms is a candidate for Atlanta mayor.

Why the Atlanta mayor’s race is worth knowing

The next mayor will impact all of metro Atlanta, and the economy of the Southeast. In our series Election 2017, we examine how a lack of affordable housing means fewer new companies – and new jobs – moving here.

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