‘Slutty Vegan’ burger joint becomes a dividing line in Senate runoff in Georgia
A Black-owned burger joint has found itself smack-dab in the middle of an intensifying Senate race in Georgia, where incumbent GOP Sen. David Perdue faces a challenge from Jon Ossoff in a high-stakes runoff early next year.
Slutty Vegan, a popular food truck and restaurant chain known for its provocatively-named plant-based burgers, was on the receiving end of Perdue’s latest jab at his Democratic opponent, seemingly mocking Ossoff for patronizing the Atlanta eatery on “Small Business Saturday” over the weekend.
“@Ossoff can have the plant burger — we’ll take the all-star special,” read a Twitter post from Perdue’s campaign, captioning a photo of the senator and his wife enjoying lunch at a local Waffle House. “Pick your side, Georgia.”
The snarky remark didn’t go over well with critics, however, revealing a deepening divide among voters in a state recently flipped blue after Democrat Joe Biden’s win over President Donald Trump earlier this month. The Jan. 5 election between Ossoff and Perdue is one of two Georgia runoffs that will determine if Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate.
“David Perdue is spending his Small Business Saturday attacking @ossoff for visiting a local Black-owned small business while bragging about going to an $80 million corporate chain restaurant,” one critic wrote in response to the “Team Perdue” tweet.
“Wow! @sendavidperdue is quite the manly man... showing off his ability to order processed meat inside a restaurant without a mask. Insulting his adversary for helping out a small (vegan) business. That will show ‘em!” wrote another.
Slutty Vegan, owned by Clark Atlanta University alum Pinky Cole, also got in a jab at Perdue and dubbed the senator a “Fussy Hussy,” invoking the name of one of the restaurant’s signature burgers.
“Georgia, no need to pick a side,” the burger joint tweeted. “All of our burgers come with fries.”
The Twitter feud comes on the heels of a campaign ad by Ossoff highlighting the pandemic’s impact on working families and small businesses.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 6:08 PM with the headline "‘Slutty Vegan’ burger joint becomes a dividing line in Senate runoff in Georgia."