Georgia Governor Candidate Rick Jackson Accused of Using Photo-op with Atlanta Business Owner to Pander to Black Community
A popular Black-owned brunch spot in Atlanta is responding after a controversial politician’s visit sparked rumors of an endorsement.
Toast on Lenox posted on Instagram late Thursday. The business said it wanted to address a recent visit from the GOP candidate for Georgia governor, Rick Jackson.
Picture Goes Viral
TikToker Jasmine Harris accused the business of endorsing Jackson after seeing a picture of Tamara Young, one of its owners, with him. She accused Jackson of posting the picture on his Instagram, but he has since taken it down.
“As Governor, I’ll fight for all Georgians, including Tamara, whose story as a successful owner of @toastonlennox is not only inspiring to me, but to anyone looking to create opportunity in our state. Grateful for the time, conversation, and amazing food!”
Atlanta Black Star found a video Jackson’s campaign posted on Thursday at Toast on Lenox. At the beginning of the video, you see him talking to several Black customers. The post does not specifically name the business.
Toast on Lenox jumped quickly into defense mode, clarifying that Jackson was visiting the restaurant as a customer.
“The photo that was shared was simply a picture taken during his visit to our establishment,” the business wrote on Instagram. “Any statements made in that post were his own and do not represent our personal beliefs or the position of Toast on Lenox.”
The business implied that Jackson used the Black people he posted in his pictures for a photo-op, insisting they were not working with the politician.
Controversial Campaign Promises
The restaurant acknowledged why customers would be troubled if it endorsed Jackson.
One of Jackson’s campaign promises is to “stop woke ideology and ban reverse discrimination,” according to his website.
“As Governor, Rick will prohibit DEI programs in state government, public universities, and classrooms,” the website said. “[He will also] ensure taxpayer dollars never fund political activism.”
“As Black entrepreneurs, we have worked tirelessly to build a business that creates jobs, serves our community, and brings people together through great food and genuine hospitality,” the business said. “Our focus has always been on serving our guests, and we will continue in this regard.”
This isn’t the only Black-owned business Jackson tried to enchant with his political promises.
In another post from June 30, Jackson posted a picture of himself talking to members of the Black community at a barbershop. The meeting reportedly happened at Barber Inc. Barbershop on Old National Highway.
One man who was at the meet-and-greet at the barbershop was Furquan Stafford. He told Capital B News he and Jackson bonded over the fact that they were both raised in foster care.
Jackson was raised in Atlanta’s Techwood Homes.
Capital B News reported 55 Black residents came up to chat with Jackson at the barbershop.
“He said that he would like grants and loans specifically for Black Americans, not minorities, or anything that would divert from Black people,” Stafford said. “He really genuinely cares about people. I don’t think it’s really about Republican or Democrat, Black or white. He really cares about everyone.”
“I’m running for every single Georgian who feels forgotten, overlooked, or left behind by politicians like Keisha Lance Bottoms who stopped listening,” Jackson wrote in the caption on Instagram. “The campaign is about them.
Jackson is running against Black woman and attorney Keisha Lance Bottoms. She served as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022. She also worked for the Biden administration. If Lance Bottoms defeats Jackson, she would become the first African-American and first woman governor of the state.
‘Political Chameleon’
Lance Bottoms responded to Jackson’s recent visits to “minority-owned businesses” on social media on Friday.
“This guy is into businesses like a Mexican restaurant…but yet he’s running commercials saying you’d be deported,” she said. “This guy’s going into a Black-owned restaurant owned by a woman, and he’s saying he wants to criminalize people who promote DEI programs.”
The Democratic candidate added that when Jackson went to the barbershop, he told the crowd that he would be “a southern version of Trump.”
“Don’t allow people to piss on us and tell us it’s rain,” Lance Bottoms said.
Lieutenant Gov. Burt Jones, who lost to Jackson in the Georgia primary election in May, disputed Jackson’s motives for running.
“Rick Jackson is the definition of a political chameleon,” Jones wrote on Instagram. “He championed DEI at his own company and now wants Georgians to believe he’ll ban it as Governor. You can’t buy a conservative record—and you can’t run from your own. Slick Rick Jackson isn’t fooling anyone.”
Jones has openly criticized Jackson several times in the past. One of his campaign ads directly called Jackson out for spending over $100 million on his campaign.
“Rick Jackson is everywhere … trying to buy our vote,” the ad said. “But Georgia is not for sale.”
Atlanta Black Star reached out to Toast on Lenox, Jackson, and Harris for more information, but has not heard back.
