DeKalb CEO Jones announces bid for U.S. Senate seat
2007-07-21
Source: Associated Press
Politician Vernon Jones on Saturday journeyed from his base in mostly black DeKalb County to a town square in mostly white Cobb County to announce he is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
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rss feedIt was the conservatism and military tradition of Cobb County that drew him there, not skin color, said Jones, a self-described "conservative Democrat" who has been DeKalb County's elected chief executive since 2000.
"People are more concerned with who's in touch with their values than with somebody's color. This race is not based on race," Jones, who is black, told the Associated Press.
Jones, 46, is campaigning to unseat Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Jones described Chambliss as "a nice man" but also a "rubber stamp" for the Bush administration who is out of touch with the public's wishes.
Jones faulted the Bush administration for its handling of the Iraq war, saying U.S. soldiers were sent there unprepared and ill-equipped for a conflict that has dragged on too long. "We have to find a dignified way to get out of Iraq," he said.
