Jones to Challenge Johnson

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Former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones (D) is set to kick off his primary challenge to sophomore Rep. Hank Johnson (D) in Georgia's 4th district.

According to a release from Jones camp, the official campaign announcement will take place at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon in Decatur, Ga.

Jones is coming off a 2008 Senate primary loss to former Georgia state Rep. Jim Martin (D) who went on to lose the general election to Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R).

But Jones may not be Johnson's only primary challenger this cycle. DeKalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes (D) has told local papers she also intends to run for the 4th district nomination.

Jones official entry into the race will come one day before Johnson will hold his own re-election kickoff event on Saturday.

In his own release Thursday, Johnson, who acknowledged late last year that he's battled hepatitis C for more than a decade, said he's ready for a re-election fight.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2010/01/jones-to-challenge-johnson.html