Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones (D), a Democrat who had issued a full-throated endorsement of President Donald Trump last week, announced on Wednesday that he was resigning, effective immediately.
“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 said in a statement. “I take pride in being an independent thinker.”
In a separate tweet, the lawmaker swore he would devote his “full energy” to getting Trump reelected and “ensuring that the radical Democrats that have overtaken my party suffer a resounding defeat.”
Though Jones identified as a “lifelong Democrat,” he appeared on pro-Trump media outlet OAN with far-right activist Jack Posobiec last week to endorse Trump.
In one of his endorsement videos, Jones claimed that the President had supported the black community through criminal justice reform and reducing unemployment before the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I 100% support Donald Trump, and I want to call on every patriot, every great American out there….join me in reelecting Donald J. Trump as the president, our next president, our reelected president, of the United States,” he said.
The Georgia lawmaker also accused Democratic Party of “defending the interests of illegals” over “actual American people” on Tuesday.
However, it is unclear if Jones plans on leaving the party altogether, saying “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Party left me.”
He did not respond to TPM’s request for clarification at the time of writing.
