Vernon Jones Backs Away From Challenge To Kemp, Eyes Congressional Run

ATLANTA, GA – Democrat-turned-Republican Vernon Jones is dropping out of the Georgia gubernatorial race.

The first GOP candidate to throw his hat into the primary race against Gov. Brian Kemp this spring, Jones announced Monday that he is lending his support to challenger David Perdue and has seemingly been persuaded to set his eyes on another political prize.

“After much prayer and consideration, I have decided that I can best serve the people of Georgia in the Congress of the United States,” he said in a statement sent out on social media to proclaim his change in direction.

According to CNN, former President Donald Trump promised to endorse Jones in a congressional run if he stepped away from the Georgia governor’s race and not split the vote against Kemp.

Jones gave no hint of this offering as he vowed to fall in line with conservatism for the greater good.

“I believe that strong conservative voices need to be heard as we lead America into the future. Because of this decision, I am officially withdrawing my candidacy for governor effective today and will be supporting David Perdue for governor,” he said.

Key to Jones’ decision to bow out of the GOP race to face Stacey Abrams in the November general election might have been his distant third finish in a recent Quinnipiac University Poll of Georgia voters. He earned only 10 percent of the total responses to Kemp’s 43 percent and Perdue’s 36 percent.

Perhaps the bigger indication of how Jones might fare in a Republican primary, however, was Trump's coveted endorsement, which appears to have gone to Perdue. Jones could only muster a nod from Trump personal attorney and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.