Source: Frank Mullen / Getty
A Black Democratic state representative from Georgia was feeling the repercussions of breaking Party ranks after offering his full-throated endorsement of Donald Trump‘s candidacy for re-election. Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones, who has a checkered past when it comes to showing loyalty to Democrats announced on Tuesday that Trump was his man in 2020, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported.
Jones — again, he’s a Democrat — stuck to familiar Republican talking points about Black people that have typically come from Trump himself.
“It’s very simple to me. President Trump’s handling of the economy, his support for historically black colleges and his criminal justice initiatives drew me to endorse his campaign,” Jones said. “There are a lot of African Americans who clearly see and appreciate he’s doing something that’s never been done before,” Jones said. “When you look at the unemployment rates among black Americans before the pandemic, they were at historic lows. That’s just a fact.”
Of course, Trump’s treatment of Black people in America, including his decades’ long streak of discrimination that pre-dates his White House stint, is much more nuanced than Jones cared to let on. Trump has repeatedly attacked Black women in particular and also referred to white supremacists as “fine people.” And that brief summation doesn’t even crack the tip of the racist iceberg that is Trump’s history with Black people.
Jones’ endorsement of Trump got him publicly chewed out by Nikema Williams, the Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
“Vernon Jones is an embarrassment to the Democratic Party and does not stand for our values, Williams said in part. “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.”
Williams alluded to Jones’ upcoming election against Rhonda Taylor as a way that Democratic voters could repay him for his allegiance to Republicans.
“Vernon Jones doesn’t speak for Georgians, and neither does Donald Trump — which is why Georgians will send him home in November 2020,” Williams added.
Jones’ endorsement of Trump came on the same day that former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden for president on the Democratic ticket.
For full context, CNN commentator Keith Boykins reminded his 200,000 followers on Twitter that Jones has a real history of sympathizing with the Grand Old Party, including accusations of hanging up a portrait of Robert E. Lee., voting for George W. Bush, waving a gun at a woman, pushing a county commissioner, rape, taking anger management class and stealing taxpayer funds.
Heck, just two weeks ago he was accused of not living in Georgia State House District 91, which is where he represents. The Associated Press also reported that Jones was “criticized by leaders from his own party [in March] after a transgender councilwoman said he made transphobic remarks during a conversation.”
The AJC listed Jones’ “legislative batting average” at 0.00, an indication of “the ratio of bills passed out of the general assembly to bills introduced by a member (Jones) in previous sessions.”
Georgia’s primary was rescheduled from last month to June because of the coronavirus pandemic. To learn more about Jones’ rival candidate, Rhonda Taylor, click here.
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