Democratic State Rep. Vernon Jones Endorses Trump

Vernon Jones-(D)1_Georgia State Rep
Photo credit (Photo Credit: Maria Boynton/RADIO.COM)

By Amanda Cooper

“President Trump is the most action-oriented president of my lifetime. He is the leader our country needed.” Those are words Georgia State Representative, Democrat Vernon Jones used in a statement today, announcing his endorsement of President Trump’s 2020 re-election. 
Georgia Democrats responded quickly to the announcement. In a statement, Democratic Party of Georgia (DPG) Chairwoman Nikema Williams said “Vernon Jones is an embarrassment to the Democratic Party and does not stand for our values. Never has that been clearer than this moment, when he chose to stand with the racist president who has made an all-out assault on Black Americans, who has tried to rip away American health care, and who has failed our country in its greatest time of need during the most important election in our lifetimes.”

Jones, a self-described "conservative democrat" who favors "tough immigration laws and fiscal responsibility" is no stranger to controversy. In March, he was accused of making transphobic comments to Doraville City Councilwoman Stephe Koontz, a transgender woman, during a tense encounter at the State Capitol. His residency is also being challenged. A complaint was filed alleging that Jones does not actually live in the legislative district he represents. 

Political Strategist, Fred Hicks weighed in saying “While not surprising that Rep. Jones would openly endorse a Republican, his timing is odd.”  The timing Hicks referenced is an earlier announcement from former President Barack Obama endorsing former VP and Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden. Vernon Jones' announcement seems to be where state Democrats are drawing a line in the sand. DPG Chairwoman Nikema Williams ended her statement saying “Vernon Jones doesn’t speak for Georgians, and neither does Donald Trump — which is why Georgians will send him home in November 2020.  In a tweet, Georgia State Representative and Minority House Leader, Democrat Bob Trammell endorsed Jones' Democratic Primary opponent Rhonda Taylor for the District 91 seat.

In his statement, Jones outlined why he is endorsing President Trump for re-election. 

President Trump is the most action oriented president of my lifetime. He is the leader our country needed. The results speak for themselves. With his hand on the wheel, the stock market broke record after record, wages and job growth exploded and unemployment dropped down to record lows. Given his track record, President Trump is best prepared to lead our economy back to record highs after we beat the COVID-19 pandemic.

HBCUs - Historically Black Colleges and Universities - are the lifeblood of the African American middle class and a predominant path to prosperity for millions of Americans. As a proud HBCU graduate, I support President Trump’s prioritization and provision of record funding for these institutions in doing more for HBCUs than any other occupants of the Oval Office in my lifetime.

Thousands of first-time offenders have been able to move on with their lives and begin the path to restoration and positive, productive re-entry into society as a result of President Trump’s leadership with the First Step Act and criminal justice reform. A generation of African American families have been devastated by draconian policies that Joe Biden supported and voted for when he served in the U.S. Senate. A change was needed and President Trump took action. A great and well known example of President Trump’s leadership on this issue lead is his commutation of the life sentence of a first-time nonviolent drug offender, Ms. Alice Marie Johnson. What the media often failed to note was that her pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears when she approached the previous administration.

I agree with President Trump’s position of protecting the American people from the negatives outcomes that occur as a result of illegal immigration. I agree with his efforts to put our country on a level footing with foreign trade. I appreciate his compassionate advocacy and proactive policies toward our military and veterans. While I can speak to these reasons and many others, President Trump’s handling of the economy, his unprecedented and unyielding support of HBCUs and his record on criminal justice reform are the main reasons I enthusiastically support his re-election.