Almost all of the big Republican races in Georgia were settled in the May 24 Primary. But one of the races that is still up in the air is that to replace Congressman Jody Hice in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District – who lost his bid to become the Republican nominee for Secretary of State. Candidates Mike Collins and Vernon Jones will square off in the June 21 runoff after neither was able to top the 50 percent mark in the primary.
Collins, a trucking executive, received the most votes in the eight-man primary with about 26 percent of the vote. Former state Rep. and former DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones received 22 percent of the vote. Jones was initially running for governor, but he agreed to switch to the 10th District race at the urging of Trump and received his endorsement. According to reports, Jones has since moved from metro Atlanta and into the district.
Mike Collins
Collins is a familiar name in the 10th Congressional District. He narrowly lost to Hice in 2014, and his father, Mac Collins, was a longtime Republican congressman.
Following the Primary, Collins talked about what he called “stark” difference between him and Jones.
He was quoted as saying, “My opponent is nothing more than a corrupt, career politician. He is a Democrat who is from DeKalb County. I was born and raised and live and work right here in the 10th District–been here all my life.”
Vernon Jones
Endorsements have been interesting in this race. Collins has the endorsement of former Speaker Newt Gingrich, although an announcement leaked out after Jones got into the race that Gingrich was endorsing Jones. He later clarified that he was, in fact, endorsing Collins.
Besides Trump, Jones also has endorsements from Rudy Giuliani and General Michael Flynn- who initially endorsed Collins, but pulled that support in favor of Jones.
“What it comes down to is that people want to know who is going to go to Washington and fight for them,” said Jones. “I am that person.”
Both said they will spend the next few weeks back out in the neighborhoods, knocking on doors and convincing their supporters to get out and vote for them in the runoff.
