A state lawmaker in Georgia drew backlash from fellow Democrats on Tuesday after backing President Trump for reelection.
State Rep. Vernon Jones, whose Atlanta-area district consists of parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, argued that the president’s policies have actually assisted him and other African-Americans.
” It’s extremely easy to me,” Jones said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “President Trump’s handling of the economy, his support for traditionally black colleges and his criminal justice efforts drew me to back his project.
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” There are a lot of African-Americans who clearly see and appreciate he’s doing something that’s never ever been done in the past,” Jones added. “When you take a look at the unemployment rates among black Americans before the pandemic, they were at historical lows. That’s simply a truth.”
Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones listens as then-Georgia Gov. Nathan Offer provides the State of the State address on the House floor in Atlanta, Jan. 11,2017 (Associated Press).
However other Georgia Democrats quickly assaulted Jones for his decision.
State Sen. Nikema Williams, chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, issued a statement calling Jones an “embarrassment,” including he “does not stand for our values.”
Republicans, on the other hand, hailed the decision by Jones, who represents one of Georgia’s most populated and left-leaning districts, according to the Journal-Constitution.
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” Vernon has been a Trump fan for a while,” Brandon Phillips, who headed Trump’s 2016 campaign in the state, informed the newspaper. “Pleased to see him putting Georgia first over party.”
Jones is facing a Democratic main challenge from community activist Rhonda Taylor in the election scheduled for June 9.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
