ATLANTA — Vernon Jones has suspended his Georgia governor campaign and announced plans to run for U.S. Congress.
Jones, who was running for the nomination in the Republican primary against current Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, made the announcement on social media on Monday.
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“After much prayer & consideration I have decided that I can best serve the people of Georgia in the Congress of the United States,” Jones said in the announcement.
Jones also threw his support behind Perdue, who he calls, “a good man who loves our state and loves our Country.”
Jones is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives and former Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County. He switched parties in 2021.
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Jones did not say if he plans to run for the U.S. House or Senate.
Perdue issued a statement thanking Jones for his endorsement.
“Vernon Jones is a conservative patriot who cares deeply about Georgia,” Perdue said in the statement. “We need his voice and we need him in the fight. I’m proud to have his support of our Trump-endorsed campaign. Conservatives are united and ready to beat Stacey Abrams. I appreciate Vernon’s willingness to serve and look forward to working together to get big things done for Georgia.”
The campaign for Stacey Abrams, the only Democratic candidate in the governor’s race, also issued a statement:
“The Republican primary is now a two-candidate race of David Perdue and Brian Kemp, whose nasty fight will do nothing to help our state. As Kemp and Perdue fight each other, Stacey Abrams will be fighting for Georgia,” the statement said.
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