GA-10: Vernon Jones (R) moves over from the gubernatorial race

[GeorgiaModerate]

Vernon Jones, who was desperately hoping for a Trump endorsement that never came, is moving from the governor's race to the vacant (and very deep-red) GA-10.  (But note the bottom of the press release, which still says he's running for Governor!)

https://twitter.com/RepVernonJones/status/1490769361203871748

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Not sure if he'll win the primary. He's not a good candidate, he's a recent democrat and there are already prominent candidates in the race.
Him leaving the gubernatorial race would definitely help Perdue though, if he does indeed withdraw from that race I'd feel safe calling the gubernatorial primary Likely Perdue.

[Minnesota Mike]

He never mentions what CD he is running in.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

He never mentions what CD he is running in.

GA-6 would be a better race for him to run in, since there's no prominent candidates in the district and he would likely clear the field.

[GeorgiaModerate]

He never mentions what CD he is running in.

GA-6 would be a better race for him to run in, since there's no prominent candidates in the district and he would likely clear the field.

Even though his press release didn't mention it, he's running in the 10th per this AJC article.

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Lol he’s like John James but 10 times worse

[Schiff for Senate]

He never mentions what CD he is running in.

GA-6 would be a better race for him to run in, since there's no prominent candidates in the district and he would likely clear the field.

And I believe it's much closer to the place he used to represent in the state legislature (it was a deep-blue part of the Atlanta metropolitan area) than GA10 would be.

[GeorgiaModerate]

He never mentions what CD he is running in.

GA-6 would be a better race for him to run in, since there's no prominent candidates in the district and he would likely clear the field.

And I believe it's much closer to the place he used to represent in the state legislature (it was a deep-blue part of the Atlanta metropolitan area) than GA10 would be.

Closer, but not as much as you might think.  Jones was the CEO of DeKalb County, and I believe the districts in his two stints in the legislature were also from DeKalb.  The old GA-6 included part of DeKalb but the new one does not, although it does border a bit of the extreme northern end of the county.  On the other end, the new GA-10 lines are only a few miles outside of the eastern end of DeKalb.  But it's certainly true that GA-6 is still more suburban (despite its expansion into Forsyth and Dawson Counties) than GA-10.

I live in the new GA-6 (northern Forsyth, formerly in GA-9) and am glad Jones is not running here.  I'm resigned to having another Republican rep, but it would be nice to have a less crazy one than the last two (Doug Collins and Andrew Clyde).

[Podgy the Bear]

GA-10 is quite exurban (east of Atlanta and DeKalb County and outside Athens)/rural and after redistricting will remain quite Republican (even though the Democratic candidate for Congress received almost 40% of the vote in 2018 and 2020).  I was driving in the Walton and Monroe counties last week, and all I saw were signs about Trump and candidates of similar ilk.

Jones is going to have a ton of competition in the Republican primary.  There are about 15 candidates running--including Paul Broun, who represented the district about 10 years ago.

[Tekken_Guy]

Jones is definitely a better fit in 10 than 6. This district is more rural and more Trumpy. Also, he won’t have long term worries in the seat.

[Schiff for Senate]

Jones is definitely a better fit in 10 than 6. This district is more rural and more Trumpy. Also, he won’t have long term worries in the seat.

Note that he was CEO of the ultra-liberal and very urban DeKalb County, and represented blue and urban parts of the Atlanta metro area in the state legislature. Of course now that he's a Republican things will be different and he's inherently more well-regarded in rurals than in the Atlanta area - but don't be too quick to write him off as exclusively or even primarily a good fit for rural areas only.

[Tekken_Guy]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

IDK, it could end up a Morgan Ortagus situation, Jones is not very popular.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I don't think a Trump endorsement by itself ever locks up a primary for anyone. Things like candidate quality and other things are also relevant.
How strong of a candidate is Jones anyway?

[GeorgiaModerate]

I don't think a Trump endorsement by itself ever locks up a primary for anyone. Things like candidate quality and other things are also relevant.
How strong of a candidate is Jones anyway?

Not very IMO, but I may be biased because I think he's an idiot.

[Vosem]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

It could've if he'd entered the race earlier, but as it stands there's literally a double-digit number of candidates who've raised more than six figures for this race. I can't imagine all of them stepping aside.

(Also, the Ortagus endorsement feels like it was quite successful -- in large part because it came before the field really settled.)

[Grassroots]

Dude is going to be such a flop.

[Tekken_Guy]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

It could've if he'd entered the race earlier, but as it stands there's literally a double-digit number of candidates who've raised more than six figures for this race. I can't imagine all of them stepping aside.

(Also, the Ortagus endorsement feels like it was quite successful -- in large part because it came before the field really settled.)

Is Harwell going to still get in?

[Vosem]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

It could've if he'd entered the race earlier, but as it stands there's literally a double-digit number of candidates who've raised more than six figures for this race. I can't imagine all of them stepping aside.

(Also, the Ortagus endorsement feels like it was quite successful -- in large part because it came before the field really settled.)

Is Harwell going to still get in?

Not sure, but Ortagus has hired a bunch of really prominent TNGOP people and seems to have scared most of the field off, apart from Starbuck who isn't really that serious. Harwell would be a formidable contender for sure if she does run, though.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

Funny how Vernon Jones used to be one of the most hated democrats about suburban and exurban GOP voters, and now many of them will be sending him to congress.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Funny how Vernon Jones used to be one of the most hated democrats about suburban and exurban GOP voters, and now many of them will be sending him to congress.

He won't go to congress. He is disliked by most Georgia republicans and there are already prominent candidates in the race.

[Inmate Trump]

GA-10 is quite exurban (east of Atlanta and DeKalb County and outside Athens)/rural and after redistricting will remain quite Republican (even though the Democratic candidate for Congress received almost 40% of the vote in 2018 and 2020).  I was driving in the Walton and Monroe counties last week, and all I saw were signs about Trump and candidates of similar ilk.

I drive that area often and there are so many signs saying "tRuMp WoN gEoRgIa" that it's really quite depressing.

[GeorgiaModerate]

GA-10 is quite exurban (east of Atlanta and DeKalb County and outside Athens)/rural and after redistricting will remain quite Republican (even though the Democratic candidate for Congress received almost 40% of the vote in 2018 and 2020).  I was driving in the Walton and Monroe counties last week, and all I saw were signs about Trump and candidates of similar ilk.

I drive that area often and there are so many signs saying "tRuMp WoN gEoRgIa" that it's really quite depressing.

I've seen those in Jackson County (a similar area).

And here's the Trump endorsement:

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1491424387030867972

[beesley]

Lol he’s like John James but 10 times worse

Other than being Republicans, perennial politicians etc. the only thing they have in common is that they are black, which is only useful when considering that fact.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Does a Trump endorsement lock up the primary for him?

It could've if he'd entered the race earlier, but as it stands there's literally a double-digit number of candidates who've raised more than six figures for this race. I can't imagine all of them stepping aside.

(Also, the Ortagus endorsement feels like it was quite successful -- in large part because it came before the field really settled.)

Is Harwell going to still get in?

Not sure, but Ortagus has hired a bunch of really prominent TNGOP people and seems to have scared most of the field off, apart from Starbuck who isn't really that serious. Harwell would be a formidable contender for sure if she does run, though.

I want someone else to run.  I'm concerned about Ortagus being too moderate and not convinced that Starbuck is the right person (particularly in terms of demeanor).