Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated independent Mary Norwood in Atlanta's mayoral election Tuesday night. Addressing the southern metropolis in a victory speech, Bottoms thanked both her supporters and her detractors. As Bottoms spoke to the crowd, a familiar face was spotted onstage: Tyrese.
Some viewers were surprised to see the Instagram champion's face, particularly in light of his recent message to haters and faux kidnapping of comedian Michael Blackson:
No surprise needed, however, as Tyrese has long been a vocal supporter of Bottoms' campaign. Earlier this week, Tyrese shared an Instagram clip urging Atlanta voters to show their support for Bottoms on "the most important day, period" for "culture, diversity, voice, access, equal opportunities, [and] everything pertaining to what we stand for in the city of Atlanta."
In fact, Tyrese has apparently been supporting Bottoms since early this year.
"This has been a very, very, very long campaign, but as we look ahead toward the future, I look forward to engaging with each of you, making sure that our city continues to move forward," Bottoms said during speech Tuesday night.
The victory came down to less than 800 votes between the two candidates, a margin Norwood is citing in her call for a recount.