'Trying to intimidate me': Black Georgia Democrat who endorsed Trump accuses own party of 'real voter supression'

Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones, a Democrat, accused his party of voter suppression in response to the condemnation he received for endorsing President Trump's reelection campaign.

Earlier this month, Jones, 59, cited the president's work on criminal justice reform and unemployment numbers for black people before the economic downturn that resulted from the coronavirus shutdown as reasons why he supported the president.

The backlash from fellow Democrats that ensued was fierce. Democratic Party of Georgia Chairwoman Nikema Williams called Jones "an embarrassment." A voting rights group founded by failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams announced plans to endorse Jones's primary challenger.

Discouraged by the criticism, Jones, who is black, said last week that he would resign and not seek reelection from Georgia House District 91. Within a day, however, Jones changed his mind and said he would keep his seat through the rest of his term, citing an "overwhelming amount of support" from the people he represents.

In a phone interview Monday with the Washington Examiner, Jones aired his frustrations with Williams and other members of his party, drawing comparisons with how Democrats accused Republicans of voter suppression in the 2018 governor's race, which Abrams lost to Brian Kemp.

"Here they are suppressing. This is real voter suppression because they are trying to intimidate me and others from voting for the person of our choice," he said. "And when I see these groups ... all those who talk about voter suppression, I see them getting behind candidates who do not vote for a person that they want them to vote for, then they are attacked, and monies are used to support the opponents of those who want to exercise free speech."