Georgia Democrat Vernon Jones, who announced he was resigning on Wednesday after getting backlash for endorsing President Donald Trump, has now reversed his decision and has vowed to stay in office.
‘I will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission. I will not let them win’
Rep. Jones tweeted on Thursday with a video, “Yesterday, I announced my intentions to resign from my office. But shortly thereafter, the outpour of support I received was too great for me to ignore.”
Yesterday, I announced my intentions to resign from my office. But shortly thereafter, the outpour of support I received was too great for me to ignore.
I will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission. I will not let them win.
I will NOT resign. #MAGA pic.twitter.com/gR2MsU5Rb3
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 23, 2020
“I will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission. I will not let them win,” Jones said.
Jones had endorsed Trump for president on April 14.
“It’s very simple to me,” he said at the time. “President Trump’s handling of the economy, his support for historically black colleges and his criminal justice initiatives drew me to endorse his campaign.”
BREAKING: Democrat Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones just endorsed President Trump for a second term.
He said that he views Trump as a "transformative figure who has helped African-American voters, military vets, and farmers with his policies."
Incredible!
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) April 14, 2020
Democrats Were Outraged By Jones’ Trump Endorsement
Needless to say, Democrats were furious. Jones made clear he wasn’t trying to leave or betray his party.
“This is not about switching parties,” Jones explained. “There are a lot of African-Americans who clearly see and appreciate he’s doing something that’s never been done before.”
“When you look at the unemployment rates among black Americans before the pandemic, they were at historic lows.,” he added. “That’s just a fact.”
But in the days that followed, Jones said the harassment had weighed too heavily on his family.
So he announced he would be stepping down from his office.
RELATED: Georgia Democrat Vernon Jones Endorses Trump In 2020
The way the Democrat Party has treated me this past week has made one thing clear: they are the bigots they claim to hate and I won’t be silent about it. pic.twitter.com/9kE9kcfWKS
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 23, 2020
‘Independent and Conservative’ Jones Moves Forward
“I’m sick and tired of me and my family being attacked and harassed by the Democratic Party for putting my country before my party,” Jones told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, announcing his intention to resign as the representative for Georgia’s 91st House District.
“I take pride in being an independent thinker,” Jones added. “I intend to help the Democratic Party get rid of its bigotry against Black people that are independent and conservative.”
Independent indeed.