Campaign promises are some of the most entertaining parts of election season. From pledging to do what seems to be impossible or pledging support for big-ticket issues that many are ignoring, these promises are a huge boost to getting someone elected. Republican Vernon Jones is running for Georgia’s 10th Congressional district, and his promise to impeach both President Biden and VP Harris is something many conservatives have been talking about since he took office.
While strongly worded campaign promises like these are often the mark of someone brand new to politics (AOC provided great examples) or someone desperate for votes (Buttigieg during the 2020 Presidential election). As you can guess by these examples, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Jones does have political experience though. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001 and again from 2017 to 2021. During the time off he ran for several other offices but was defeated.
Jones has more to offer the American people than President Biden and VP Harris’ impeachment, the return of former President Trump. In a tweet, he said “On Day One in Congress, I’ll file Articles of Impeachment against both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for betrayal of public trust. Then I’ll cast my vote for President Trump to be Speaker and invite my colleagues to join me. It’s time to throw out the old playbook.” This idea isn’t entirely original, but it also is a sure-fire ticket to capture a healthy amount of the conservative vote in Georgia.
Getting elected at the state level is a difficult task for sure, but to the National level is a whole other animal. As Republican representative Jody Hice is moving on to run for Georgia secretary of state, Jones should have a relatively successful campaign. Two things could be potential obstacles for his campaign: his past voting history on abortion and being black. The first one should only have any resonance with those who are very educated on his stance. The second one would be very apparent on any campaign sign or poster made for the man. As there is a degree of racial injustice still rampant in the state, it could cause a problem with the uneducated.
People like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) could potentially get behind Jones in office, and possibly on the election trail as well. Back on NYE 2021, Sen. Cruz said on his show Verdict with Ted Cruz “I think there are potentially multiple grounds to consider for impeachment. Probably the most compelling is the utter lawlessness of President Biden’s refusal to enforce the border.” Sen. Cruz’s comments have been supported by many conservatives both in and out of politics.
As Jones continues down his path towards the Congress he’ll be making some big shoes for himself to fill. Not only will he have Hice’s reputation to live up to, but his own from these campaign promises. While steep and important promises, they have potential if he can garner the right support. As a newcomer to Capitol Hill, he finds himself in a tough spot as others would figure out what kind of Congressman he is. Historically that has meant getting the old guard to trust him will be a bit more difficult, but as we have seen in recent years they are more willing to get behind them to save face.
