Georgia Democrat Vernon Jones officially walks away from the party, joins GOP

"Lifelong Democrat" and Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones is no longer a Democrat.

The Trump-supporting state lawmaker and former chief executive officer for DeKalb County announced on Wednesday that he is officially leaving the Democratic Party and joining the GOP.

"Now more than ever, the Republican Party is in desperate need of leaders that know how to fight. I know how to fight," Jones tweeted.

Jones earned national attention last April when, as a Democrat, he endorsed President Donald Trump for re-election, saying that Trump's handling of the economy and his support for criminal justice reform had earned his support. Since then he's campaigned for Republicans in Georgia, including Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, and attracted scorn and derision from the left.

In recent interviews, he's said that the Republican Party needs to improve its outreach to black voters.