Black Georgia House Conservative Democrat, Vernon Jones, Endorses Trump

Not all Democrats are any good. Some suck shit morning, noon and night. Take Rep. Vernon Jones, a little-known swindler and racist from DeKalb county, although not from the part in the districts he represents, in the Atlanta suburbs. He's run for everything short of governor and lost all his races since in the last 2 decades... basically a vanity candidate. Finally, in 2016, voters gave in and-- recognizing his name-- elected him to the Georgia state House as a Democrat, representing parts of Dekalb and Rockdale counties (HD-91). He's virulently anti-gay, anti-immigrant and pro-NRA and happily describes himself as a "conservative Democrat." He admits he voted for George W. Bush in 2004 and has personally donated thousands of dollars to the Georgia Republican Party. I'm shocked Cheri Bustos hasn't recruited him to run as a DCCC candidate yet.

Jones' district is prosperous and over 70% African American. I wonder how they'll vote in the June 9th primary when Jones faces off against Rhonda Taylor, who he defeated in 2016 to first win the seat. This time there will likely be just one issue: Jones' endorsement of Señor Trumpanzee yesterday. Top Georgia Democrats responded by pointing out that Jones is a narcissist seeking attention and by endorsing Taylor. Jones defended himself by citing phony Trump talking points that seek to deceive African-American voters.

State Sen. Nikema Williams, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, called him an "embarrassment... 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."

Jones launched his political career in the early 1990s in the Georgia House before winning the first of two terms as DeKalb County’s top executive in 2000. His stint was marked by controversy.

His administration shepherded rapid development and more than $350 million worth of funding for parks and infrastructure. But he drew intense scrutiny for angry outbursts and an accusation of rape that he said was a consensual act between three partners. No charges were filed.

A special grand jury in 2013 recommended an investigation into allegations against Jones of bid-rigging and theft when he was CEO, but the then-district attorney said he lacked evidence to show any crimes had occurred.

While in political exile, Jones mounted unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and DeKalb sheriff before his victory in a DeKalb-based House seat returned him to the state Capitol four years ago.

Since he regained office, Jones has routinely allied himself with Republican lawmakers in the Legislature, including co-sponsoring a measure this year that would crack down on unauthorized immigrants. And his social media posts crackle with positive messages about Trump.

While he has promised a gentler political approach, he’s remained a divisive figure who is often at odds with many of his Democratic colleagues.

In March alone, he called a fellow Democratic lawmaker a “chicken shit” and was accused of making transphobic comments to a Doraville City Council member who Jones said tried to draw a comparison between being black and being gay.

State Rep. Scott Holcomb, a DeKalb Democrat who represents a nearby district, summed up his reaction to Jones’ endorsement of Trump with seven words: “They’re both incompetent narcissists. This isn’t surprising.”

It’s not yet certain how Jones’ endorsement will affect his re-election chances. The last time he faced a challenge, he defeated Taylor and three other Democrats in a 2016 primary before capturing nearly three-quarters of the vote against a GOP opponent.

This year, however, he faces an ethics complaint alleging he doesn’t live in the district as well as a rematch against Taylor, a paralegal who issued a plea for support upon learning of Jones’ endorsement: “Democrats around the country deserve better.”

Jones, who dismissed the ethics complaint as “baseless fake news,” told the AJC he was prepared for blowback from fellow Democrats and portrayed his decision as a stand for his First Amendment rights.

“A philosopher once said, ‘One courageous man in the crowd is a majority.’ I’ve got the courage to express my convictions,” Jones said. “I believe that Donald Trump is the best person to lead this country going forward.”

In 2016 Dekalb County voted 239,131 (80.8%) for Hillary and 47,531 (16.1%) for Trump. Rockdale County was a little closer-- but still in landslide territory-- Hillary 48,707 (65.0%) to Trump's 24,441 (32.6%). I'd bet on Rhonda Taylor in the June primary.