Georgia State Sen. Burt Jones (R-Jackson) announced Tuesday he’s running for lieutenant governor, and, while he didn’t elaborate, said he feels “real good” about getting an endorsement from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Georgia Star News asked Jones Tuesday if he knows something about a possible Trump backing that he has not yet publicly disclosed.
“I just feel real good about it,” Jones said.
“In 2015, I was the first one to come out for him. I served as his co-chair in 2016 and was his co-chair in 2020. I talk to him on multiple occasions, I am very comfortable that we will be alright.”
Jones told The Star News he has scheduled a campaign kickoff rally at an undisclosed time on August 26 at Indian Springs State Park in Flovilla, only a few miles away from his hometown of Jackson. Former U.S. Sen. David Perdue of Georgia and Rock Springs Church Pastor Benny Tate, from Milner, are scheduled to speak, Jones said.
According to an emailed press release, Jones said his priorities include boosting the state’s economy by reducing government regulations, cutting the state income tax, prioritizing vocational and technical training, and empowering small businesses. He also said he wants to investigate any and all instances of voter fraud.
Jones and State Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) said state leaders stifled their efforts to have a special session to address voter irregularities late last year. Both men learned in January they would not chair committees over which they previously presided. Jones would no longer chair the Committee on Insurance and Labor.
Jones said at the time that Insurance and Labor is “one of a handful of A-list chairmanships.” Jones said losing that position disappointed him, but he also said he took the news in stride.
“It doesn’t take long to connect the dots,” Jones said in January.
“There were a few of us fighting for election integrity. And it just so happens that the ones who were doing that no longer have their chairmanships.”
Current Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan declared in May he would not seek a second term. Conservative activist Debbie Dooley said Duncan betrayed Trump and undermined everything the former president did.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Burt Jones” by Burt Jones. Background Photo “Georgia Capitol” by Autiger. CC BY-SA 2.0.
