Republican Vernon Jones ends Georgia governor bid to start congressional race

Former Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones on Monday announced that he is ending his Republican primary bid for governor in order to run for Congress.

Jones, a former Democrat, said he is endorsing former Sen. David Perdue (R), who will run against Gov. Brian Kemp in the primaries.

"After much prayer & consideration I have decided that I can best serve the people of Georgia in the Congress of the United States," he wrote in a statement posted on Twitter. "I believe that strong conservative voices need to be heard as we lead America into the future."

Perdue called Jones "a conservative patriot who cares deeply about Georgia" in response to Jones' announcement.

"We need his voice and we need him in the fight. I’m proud to have his support of our Trump-endorsed campaign. Conservatives are united and ready to beat Stacey Abrams," he wrote. "I appreciate Vernon’s willingness to serve and look forward to working together to get big things done for Georgia."

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Perdue for governor in December.

Jones met with Trump last week to discuss running for Congress or another office rather than governor, sources told Fox News.