Jake Evans, the chairman of the Georgia ethics commission, stepped down from his position on Monday amid wide speculation that he will enter the U.S. House of Representatives race to challenge incumbent Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-06).
“We made great strides in making Georgia politics transparent and ethical. I will forever cherish this chapter of public service and trust in God’s plan for me and my family,” Evans said a tweet attached to his resignation letter.
It has been a supreme honor serving Georgians as Ethics Chairman. We made great strides in making Georgia politics more transparent and ethical for all. I will forever cherish this chapter of public service, and trust in God’s plans for me and my family. 🙏#blessed #fighton✌️ pic.twitter.com/b2q0kaGnAJ
— Jake Evans (@JakeEvans11) June 21, 2021
The Georgia attorney was originally selected by Governor Nathan Deal in 2016 to serve on the commission and has remained in his position for the past five years. While serving on the commission, Evans helped steady the ship and select a new director for the group, after the former leader resigned over allegations of inappropriate behavior.
While he has yet to make a formal announcement, Evans is widely expected to join the growing Republican primary field. Retired U.S. Army colonel Eric Welsh and U.S. Army veteran Harold Earls have already declared their candidacy in the race. Additionally, depending on how the district’s lines are drawn in the redistricting process, more contenders may decide to enter the race — such as state Senator Brandon Beach and former state Rep. Meagan Hanson.
The 6th Congressional District, a large section of Atlanta suburbs, has proven to be increasingly competitive over the past few election cycles. In 2017, Republican Karen Handel narrowly defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff. In 2018, McBath edged out a victory of Handel to flip the seat to Democratic control. McBath once again defeated Handel in 2020.
Evans also has ties to former President Donald Trump. His father, Randy Evans, served as an ambassador under Trump. Additionally, he was an adviser to former Speaker Newt Gingrich.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Jake Evans” by Jake Evans.
