Trump endorses Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for governor
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for the state's next governor.
"Highly Respected and very popular Lieutenant Governor, Burt Jones, is running to be the next governor of the great state of Georgia, a very special place to me in that we had a BIG presidential election win just eight short months ago, Nov. 5, 2024," Trump said Monday on Truth Social.
"As your next governor, Burt Jones will fight hard to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., champion American energy DOMINANCE, continue to secure our now secure southern border, strengthen our military/veterans, ensure LAW AND ORDER, advance election integrity, and defend our always under siege Second Amendment," the president said later.
"Burt Jones for governor has my complete and total endorsement -- HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!," Trump said.
Jones kicked off his campaign last month. He is the second Republican to enter the race.
"Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has brought real conservative leadership that has protected our freedoms, our values and our families, and Burt Jones has worked closely with President Trump, helping Georgia make America great again," a narrator said in an ad about Jones.
Jones said in the ad that his campaign will focus on getting rid of the state income tax, stopping the fentanyl crisis and ensuring transgender women can't play in women's sports.
He seeks to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
The lieutenant governor served in the Georgia Senate from 2013 to 2023.
In April 2024, a prosecutor was appointed to investigate whether Jones broke the law over his participation in an alleged effort to overturn the state's 2020 general election in favor of former President Donald Trump.
In a statement, the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia named its executive director, Peter Skandalakis, as prosecutor in Jones' case.
In late 2020, Jones was a state Senator and was accused of being one of 16 so-called alternate electors who signed documents stating Trump had won Georgia in the general election despite him losing the state to then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden by more than 10,000 votes.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had been leading the investigation into Jones and others but was disqualified from the case in July. Jones had complained to the courts that there was a conflict of interests because Willis had fundraised for his Democratic opponent for lieutenant governor while investigating him.
In the governor's race, he will face state Attorney General Chris Carr in the primary. Carr sued Jones in federal court Thursday, alleging campaign finance violations.
A state ethics commission previously declined to investigate if Jones violated state law after Carr questioned if a $10 million loan the lieutenant governor made to a campaign committee was legal. Jones has denied any wrongdoing.
Jones played football at the University of Georgia where he was co-captain of the 2002 football team.
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