Jones added to Newton’s Congressional Candidates Forum
COVINGTON, Ga. – The number of those who have confirmed they will be part of a 10th congressional district candidate forum may have dwindled in recent days, but added one who is the latest Georgia candidate to receive endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Vernon Jones, whom Trump endorsed on Feb. 9, has been added to the list of candidates who say they will attend the forum scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Canaan Baptist Church in Covington, according to reports. . of the 10th District GOP.
Organizers said Friday they had attendance confirmations from a total of 10 Republican candidates who announced their candidacies for the May 24 primary.
Among the candidates scheduled to appear are State Rep. Timothy Barr of Lawrenceville, who U.S. Rep. Jody Hice endorsed; former US Representative Paul Broun of Athens, who was a congressman from the district from 2007 to 2015; and Jackson trucking company owner Mike Collins, who lost a GOP runoff to Hice in 2014 and is the son of the late U.S. Representative Mac Collins.
Others include Andrew Alvey of Social Circle; former State Revenue Commissioner David Curry of Henry County; and Jones, the former Democratic state legislator and DeKalb County CEO who switched parties.
Monroe businessman Marc McMain, who has the endorsement of Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman; Monroe resident Charles Rupert; former Air Force Colonel Alan Sims of Winder; and former Navy Col. Mitchell Swan of Good Hope will also participate.
Barrow County businessman Matt Richards and Patrick Witt, a former Trump administration official, were previously on the list of attendees, but were not on the list of candidates that the Party organization Republican 10th District released Friday.
The 10th District was redrawn in response to population changes seen in the 2020 census. It includes most of Newton County and some or all of the other 18 counties in northern and eastern Georgia.
The congressional seat was opened in 2021 after Hice announced he would challenge incumbent Brad Raffensperger for secretary of state.
The district is heavily Republican and voted about 70% for Trump in the 2020 presidential election, although Democrat Joe Biden narrowly won the statewide vote.
Canaan Baptist Church is located at 5581 Salem Road in Covington. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. and the forum will begin at 3 p.m.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/NewtonCountyRepublicanParty or https://www.facebook.com/gagop10th/.
