Georgia Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson visited The Original Big Daddy’s, a popular soul food restaurant on Old National Highway in the College Park area, this weekend.
Stopping by after church, Jackson posting photos of the stop and thanking the establishment for the meal and conversation.
Jackson, the self-funded healthcare executive and political outsider who defeated Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the June 2026 GOP primary runoff, shared images showing him at the restaurant.
One observer noted him interacting warmly with the owner. The Original Big Daddy’s (also referred to as Big Daddy’s Dish or similar) is a well-known local spot for Southern comfort food—including large portions of wings, BBQ, meats, sides like mac and cheese and potato salad—located at around 5595 Old National Hwy in a predominantly Black South Fulton/College Park area.
This stop aligns with Jackson’s broader general-election outreach efforts targeting Black voters ahead of the November 2026 matchup against Democratic nominee and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
News reports documented similar stops, including a June 30 meet-and-greet at a barbershop on Old National Highway in College Park where he discussed shared experiences (Jackson grew up in Atlanta’s Techwood Homes public housing and foster care) and expressed openness to supporting access to capital for Black entrepreneurs.
Toast & Lenox Backlash
Jackson, the Republican nominee for Georgia governor, posted (and later deleted) an Instagram photo with a co-owner of Toast on Lenox, a popular Black- and woman-owned restaurant in Buckhead, after dining there.
The image quickly drew online backlash, with some commenters calling for a boycott of the restaurant and framing the visit as support for Jackson, whom critics labeled a “Trump 2.0” figure. Toast on Lenox responded promptly, clarifying that it does not endorse Jackson and that his stop was unrelated to any campaign activity.
Campaign officials have framed such visits as intentional, not afterthoughts, aiming to reach voters who feel overlooked.
Jackson has highlighted his rags-to-riches story—from foster care to founding the large Jackson Healthcare staffing firm—as a bridge to working-class and minority communities. He has pledged policies focused on affordability (freezing property taxes, cutting state income taxes), healthcare cost reduction, and economic opportunity.
Black Republican supporters and some community members have noted his personal background as resonating, though broader Black voter support in Georgia has historically leaned heavily Democratic, and some have expressed caution over national Republican agendas.
The visit comes amid Jackson’s post-primary shift to the general election. He has been endorsed by figures including President Donald Trump (after initially backing Jones), Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, and others. Polls in mid-to-late July 2026 have shown a competitive race, with Bottoms often holding a narrow lead among likely voters.
Local reactions on social media mixed appreciation for the outreach with partisan skepticism typical of a high-stakes statewide contest. Jackson’s campaign has continued emphasizing direct community engagement across metro Atlanta as he seeks to expand beyond traditional Republican bases in the battleground state.
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