In this engaging episode of The Georgia Hour on October 16, 2025, host BKP welcomes Vernon Jones, a former Democrat turned Republican firebrand, as he dramatically announces his late-entry candidacy for Georgia Secretary of State—dubbing it his “October surprise.” Amid a crowded Republican primary featuring Kelvin King, State Rep. Tim Fleming, and ex-Dominion Voting Systems ally Gabriel Sterling, Jones positions himself as the battle-tested outsider ready to “restore public trust” in elections scarred by the 2020 controversies. Drawing on his extensive résumé as DeKalb County CEO (managing 8,000 employees), Georgia House representative with 12 years of legislative experience, and IBM alum with tech savvy, Jones emphasizes his executive acumen to overhaul the office’s inefficiencies.
The interview kicks off with Jones’ introductory campaign video, a rousing call to action featuring patriotic imagery and his pledge to secure ballots, protect votes, and champion “common sense with faith” in the American movement. BKP probes Jones’ delayed entry, which he attributes to months of grassroots listening tours—from barbershops and farms to corporate boardrooms and nonprofits—gauging Georgians’ frustrations with government gridlock. “Public service is about sacrifice,” Jones declares, vowing to prioritize people over politics and fix a system where trust was “shattered” in 2020.
Election integrity dominates the discussion, with Jones outlining a Day One agenda: Launch a “thorough action report” and blue-ribbon commission to audit the 2020 election under a potential Trump administration lens, exposing unreported irregularities without rash decertification of current machines. He slams the “revolving door” exemplified by Sterling’s jump from state employee to high-paid consultant on the controversial Dominion system, promising transparent public hearings statewide to vet any new $150 million voting tech. Jones advocates for paper ballots and hand counts if data supports it, but insists on measured, bipartisan input—including high-end engineers, data analysts, and everyday voters—to avoid past secrecy that fueled demonization of skeptics like Trump. He critiques the slow Georgia vote tallies, indiscriminate absentee ballot mailings (over 1 million under Sterling), and unconstitutional executive overreach in lawsuits settled by Raffensperger and Sterling, like expanding drop boxes at Stacey Abrams’ behest.
On voter rolls, Jones commits to rigorous cleanup per the law—purging invalid addresses like UPS stores—while pushing legislative recommendations for free, instant online access to rolls, ditching the current “double-dipping” fees that stonewall public records requests beyond the mandated 72-hour response. He supports keeping the State Board of Elections independent to eliminate conflicts of interest, ensuring no “hint” of bias undermines integrity.
Shifting to the office’s broader duties, Jones targets licensing reforms: Streamline business approvals (no more two-to-three-month waits for small entrepreneurs) using process improvements from his CEO days, and proactively combat fraud like Georgia’s record $140 million First Liberty Ponzi scheme targeting seniors. He’d conduct assessments with scam victims, law enforcement, and other states to implement zero-tolerance best practices, leveraging tech for efficient certifications without drawn-out hurdles.
BKP presses on the competitive field, where Jones entered after sensing voter hunger for a “fighter” who won’t bow to CNN or MSNBC “firewalls.” Listeners, he says, crave his unyielding Trump loyalty—recalling his 2020 RNC speech, Mar-a-Lago visits, and street-level defense amid attacks—over polished insiders. Trump is aware of the run and their shared “Stone Mountain agenda,” though Jones prioritizes grassroots endorsements from “farmers to teachers” over elite nods. He welcomes part two chats and invites North Georgia supporters to his Union County rally (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.) and Fannin County event (Monday evening), urging visits to vernonjonesforga.com for emails, schedules, and volunteer sign-ups.
The hour-long exchange, running overtime with candid rapport, underscores Jones’ folksy, faith-infused pitch as a “workhorse and show horse” fixer—connecting viscerally while promising inclusive reconciliation over retribution. BKP closes by inviting all candidates for respectful, tough-question interviews, reinforcing the show’s voter-focused ethos.
