Vernon Jones, a former DeKalb County CEO and Georgia state representative who once aligned with the Clintons and the Democratic establishment, has officially launched his campaign for Georgia Secretary of State — this time as a hardline Republican and vocal Trump ally.
What We Know:
Political Background: Jones rose to prominence in Georgia politics as a Democrat in the 1990s, serving in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001 before becoming CEO of DeKalb County, one of the state’s largest and most diverse counties.
Clinton Connection: During his early political career, Jones was a staunch supporter of President Bill Clinton and was once considered a rising star within Georgia’s Democratic Party establishment.
Shift to the GOP: After years of criticism over his management of DeKalb County and a brief hiatus from politics, Jones resurfaced as a conservative figure, publicly endorsing Donald Trump in 2020 and speaking at the Republican National Convention that same year.
The New Campaign: Jones announced his bid for Secretary of State on Monday, framing his run around “election integrity,” calling for paper ballots, voter ID expansion, and restrictions on mail-in voting.
GOP Landscape: His entry adds to a crowded Republican field seeking to replace Brad Raffensperger, who is stepping aside to pursue the governor’s office. Other GOP contenders include Gabriel Sterling, Tim Fleming, and Kelvin King.
Democratic Challengers: Former judge Penny Brown Reynolds and Adrian Consonery Jr. have declared on the Democratic side.
Pattern of Political Reinvention: Jones has previously launched failed bids for governor and Congress under the GOP banner, calling himself “the Black Donald Trump” and styling his rhetoric around Trump’s populist brand.
Jones’s trajectory — from a Democrat with ties to the Clintons to a MAGA-aligned Republican — underscores the deep partisan realignments within Georgia’s political landscape over the past decade.
If elected, Jones would oversee one of the nation’s most scrutinized election systems — a symbolic victory for Trump-aligned Republicans seeking to reshape Georgia’s election laws ahead of 2028.