CAMPAIGN 2022: Jones drops out; will run for lake area congressional seat

Former Georgia Democrat turned Republican candidate for governor Vernon Jones dropped his bid for the 2022 GOP nomination on Monday to run for the 10th Congressional District. 

Initially, Jones did not specify which seat he would seek. Political pundits in the state believed he was most likely to run for the 10th, but the newly redrawn 6th District could’ve also been an option. 

Late Monday, his Twitter profile and campaign website revealed he would jump into the race for the 10th District, which encompasses most of the Lake Area. 

Congressman Jody Hice currently represents the reliably conservative seat. In 2020, Hice defeated his Democratic opponent with 62.3% of the vote. 

Hice is not seeking another term; instead, he is running against incumbent Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger. 

In his announcement, Jones threw his support behind former U.S. Senator David Perdue, who is also running against incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. 

“[David Perdue] is a good man who loves our state and loves our country,” Jones said in a statement. 

Jones, who throughout the race presented himself as a Trump-style candidate, ultimately did not get the former president’s endorsement. 

Many are now asking how this move will affect the governor’s race. A recent poll showed Jones with only 10 percent support, but that could be enough to close the gap between Kemp and Perdue. 

The Quinnipiac University poll showed 43 percent of likely GOP voters supported Kemp compared to 36 percent for Perdue.