letter-spacing: .03em; He always wants to hear game-changing ideas that he can apply to Arkansas communities, transforming their gateways to education, STEM and workforce skills.". "What I love about the Innovation Hub," Jones says, "is that I get the benefit of working with youth, of working with adults, working with entrepreneurs, working with engineers, working with makers, [and also] focusing on the broader-systems change that needs to happen.". But as I sat with the video some more, it really dawned on me how incredible Jones resume is and what it says about Black candidates for statewide office. Our homes are at the center of our lives, theres almost nothing more important. margin-bottom: 4px; p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., perpetrator of the 2022 University of Virginia shooting. background-color: white; color: #6db24f; He knew this was the job for him. We have no more Information about his Father; we will try to collect information and update soon. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Apply today! That was a tough day for a kid in America. Dr. C. Fred Higgs III of Houston, a friend and vice provost at Rice University, is touched by Jones' belief that native sons must return to their home states to initiate massive impact. font-style: italic; And he gets to do so beyond his day-job boundaries. background-color: red; .votebox { But the event I remember first I still remember the 3rd grade in Mrs. Watsons class when we learned about space. And we share the same hopes and dreams for our children. letter-spacing: 0.03em; $('.pastResponses').hide(); La tabla con toque de surf es divertida en cualquier terreno y te da una . } margin-top: 1px; Since that article was published, weve seen a slight uptick in Black candidates to win those races, including Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who like Jones hadnt previously held elected office. } My first job was a paper route delivering newspapers and mowing lawns in the neighborhood. background-color: #db0000; position: relative; Mike Huckabee (R). To live here, and to live out their own version of the American Dream, whether its to be a doctor, a teacher, a small-business owner, an actor, a poet, or a CEO. } Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for governor, has hit the ground running with his video introducing himself. Chris Braithwaite, aka "Chris Jones" (c. 1885-1944), Barbadian-born sailor and London unionist. .inner_percentage { With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, we are making a difference. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it. [3],
} "Dr. Jones is the kind of man who sees obstacles as opportunities," says Zeno, owner of Diamond State Roofing. He prayed a prayer he has periodically prayed to be put in a place where he could live out what God created him to be. For Chris Jones, the second adjective is as big a challenge to overcome at this point in Arkansas history as the first. "The other thing is, how do we unleash enormous untapped potential that's living locally? I have faith in Arkansass potential, and I am running for governor to ensure every person in Arkansas has an opportunity to succeed. Biography. Since 2018, he has served as executive director and lead maker of the North Little Rock-based, nonprofit Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub. Jan 2011 - Present12 years 2 months. I also realized that because of my hearing, I learned to listen closely to what people were saying. The race to replace Arkansas Gov. In Political No-Man's Land. Chris Jones, the former head of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, will seek the Democratic nomination for governor of Arkansas, he announced Tuesday. He received a full ride to Morehouse -- a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scholarship. He loved it, but he wanted to make a difference here. Chris Jones plans to help families find the resources they need to care for their loved ones and to ensure high standards of care and excellent staffing at nursing homes, The Promise to Improve Resources for Mental Health. Arkansas native Chris Jones announced his Democratic campaign for Governor of Arkansas in downtown Pine Bluff and in a launch video released on social media. We need elected officials that value honesty, and work with their constituents to get them what they need to succeed and continue to build in our communities. color: #888; I remember watching the Challenger lift off on our classroom TV. After watching the Challenger explosion, I decided I wanted to be an astronaut. Two minutes and 37 seconds later, I was convinced that this might be one of the most interesting campaigns in the country. We want this state to be a state where people feel welcome and want to live. And it will also translate into my ability to listen to Arkansans, to hear what they need, and to ensure that the people most affected by the decisions are the ones at the table making the decisions. He's both an ordained Baptist minister and a nuclear engineer who can talk about his . I went on to Morehouse and MIT. by Mychael Schnell - 06/20/21 10:36 PM ET. Arkansas PBS. That's how Christopher "Chris" Jones starts "About Time," a video he released Tuesday, June 15 to help launch his campaign for governor. margin-bottom:16px; Also, we have no information about his son and daughter. Jones, a former assistant dean for graduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked to double minority enrollment, said if elected, he would focus on rebuilding Arkansas' infrastructure, investing in health care and education, and extending access to broadband in rural areas. Listening. "He has all of us non-Arkansas people praying for some of the poor communities in the state to flourish. Mike Huckabee. I, for one, am going to be keeping a very close eye on this race. .outer_percentage { [2], .votebox { background-color: #f4f4f4; in nuclear engineering/technology and policy in 2003 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In this moment, Arkansas needs a compassionate and empathetic leader who has the humility to understand that this moment is bigger than any one of us, the grace to know how to bring a broad range of people together to address the very real challenges we face, and the real-life experience to manage a massive organization. .hideResponses { display: none;} Every community deserves to claim their seat at the table. @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } Arkansas's near abortion ban remains blocked by courts, and leading democratic candidate Chris Jones is aware that this is an issue he could inherit if he gets the governor's job. Black candidates for governor or any statewide race are rare in Arkansas one ran for governor more than century ago and the state has also never had a female governor, which would make the outcome of the 2022 election historic, said Heather Yates, an assistant political science professor at the University of Central Arkansas. border-radius: 50%; } Chris and Jerrilyn have spent some twenty years in harmony while conquering all the highs and lows. margin-bottom: 0; width: 50px; a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } File:Chris Jones, Arkansas gubernatorial candidate (cropped).jpg; Metadata. (AP) Chris Jones would seem to have an ideal biography to run for governor, a job that's wide open in Arkansas for the first time in eight years. } I love the people in this state. Accessible on Instagram under the handle @jonesforar, the political novice has posted 293 posts as he refreshes his supporters and benefactors about his daily way of life. What was your very first job? .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { .results_text { padding-top: 8px; $('#candidate-connection-email-100992').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); .widget-row.value-only.white { Chris is an Arkansas native whose predecessors, seven centuries, lived there for a very long time. This is important because he's not seen as an outsider," said Najja Baptist, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Arkansas. At home. } background-color: grey; What I learned was that being born without hearing in my left ear would prevent me from this career path. ", "Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially announces her candidacy for Arkansas Governor", "101 Arkansas Legislators Endorse Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Governor", "Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Running for governor everywhere but Arkansas", "Republicans fall in line behind Sarah | Steve Brawner", "I'm all in for you as Governor of Arkansas @SarahHuckabee you're a great lady & have always admired your father! Christopher W. Jones, American chemical engineer . As Governor, Chris Jones will help establish standards that keep programs competitive, and Arkansans making good pay for skilled work. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } padding:7px 8px 8px; Jones says one of the blessings of being in the MIT environment of dedication to problem-solving "is that now, wherever I go, one of my first questions is, 'Who else needs to be at the table?' .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { He's a physicist and also a minister and sees no conflict between science and faith. In January, Jones was chosen to be a Presidential Leadership Scholar in a program established by the presidential centers and foundations of Presidents George H.W. display: block; .election_results_text { } .votebox-results-cell--check { width: 100%; Arkansans of all ages should have access to technical schools and workforce training scholarships. The organization provides tools, technology, equipment, education and programs for makers of all ages, interests and skill levels, including classes and workshops covering everything from sign design and 3D printing to welding (with virtual classes now available due to covid-19). PINE BLUFF, Ark. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} ", "Thank you to my friend @SeanHannity for your support! Christopher Jones. .inner_percentage.Green { Although he'd been determined since childhood to attend Morehouse and MIT, Jones was equally as determined to return to his beloved home state. I'm running for governor to build opportunity for all of us. There were no incumbents in this race. word-wrap: break-word; Even as a child, he was a scholar, doing research at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Box 242046Little Rock, AR 72223-9998, Paid for by the Committee to Elect Chris Jones. We also need someone with the vision to see and seize opportunities that lie out of sight, the determination to amplify and value all voices, especially the most marginalized, and the ancestral grit of an unapologetic Arkansan. background-color: #f9d334; margin-bottom:0px; But we can't do it without you. top: 2px; In addition to marrying all his degrees in one role, Jones has managed to marry his science with his faith and his considerable accomplishments with humility. } padding-top: 3px; The Promise to Invest in American Manufacturing. padding-bottom: 8px; .race_header.green {
, See also:Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2022. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. } New Democratic candidate for Arkansas governor: 'I'm willing to take the tough road so someone else can have a better life', Amid U.S. reckoning on race, Black candidates harness voters' fervor for change, one ran for governor more than century ago. Jerrilyn is a Harvard Medical School alumnus and an Air Force veteran serving as an ER specialist and clinical chief of preparedness at the Arkansas Department of Health. Jones has run the race against several newcomers, including Anthony Bland and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. background-color: #ccc; On so many measures of well being, Arkansas is at or near the bottom of the list not because it belongs there, but because the state has been ignored by leadership for far too long. Suitably high goals for someone who was a true renaissance man even during his days at Watson Chapel High School, where he excelled academically, played quarterback on the football team, ran the 400 in track, acted in school plays and sang in the choir. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { } I was fully prepared to ignore the ensuing Trump-infused circus over the next two years. (Jones' brother, Leon Jones Jr., announced in April he is running for the GOP nomination to replace Rutledge.). } margin-bottom: 1px; Please. margin-top: 0px; It means that all executive and judicial appointments will be made with these goals in mind and upholding the value that the people most affected by decisions should be at the table making those decisions. } margin: 0px 10px; .widget-row.Libertarian { .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} .widget-row.heading { District 15: Rachel Cox. Chris Jones said part of his dream to go to Morehouse and MIT was to bring that knowledge back home to Arkansas. As governor, Chris Jones will guide the state through a responsible recovery that prioritizes health, childrens learning, and protection of the rights of local business owners. I attended Morehouse College on a full NASA Scholarship, for physics and math, then went on to study at MIT earning a masters degree in Nuclear Engineering, a masters degree in Technology & Policy, and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning. .widget-img { margin: 8px auto; Right now, they're creating a virtual experience for these children via partnerships with museums, the zoo, the Clinton Foundation and Arkansas PBS. This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Through this work, I spread STEAM education throughout the state and has seen firsthand how disparities within Arkansas have gotten worse, not better. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? I grew up eating honeysuckle, fighting grasshoppers, and riding dirt bikes. padding-left: 16px; Now . He got his doctorate from MIT while managing a multimillion-dollar budget as executive director of Bostons Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. But we are sure that it is not available and his spouses name is not available. .inner_percentage.Libertarian { display: inline-block; Political observers say Jones, who is Black, could ride a wave of recent years in which people of color and from historically disenfranchised groups with limited political experience are getting elected to higher office. Chris Jones, 44, is announcing his run as a Democrat for the 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial race. His brother, Leon Jones Jr., is running for attorney general in 2022 as a Republican. font-size: 12px; AMP. Chris Jones attended two of the most prestigious institutes of post-secondary education in the country, picking up multiple degrees at both of them: the historically Black Morehouse College, where he earned bachelor's degrees in physics and mathematics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned master's degrees in nuclear engineering and technology and policy before deciding to stick around and get a doctorate in urban studies and planning. display: block; font-size: 1.2em; Government not about running up bills and creating debt. Chris Jones supports building the strong, educated, and skilled workforces and communities that make this state a desirable destination for economic development for companies from across the globe. Additionally, Jones holds a dual degree in atomic design and innovation and strategy from MIT; he also appears to be a Ph.D. in metropolitan preparation. } margin-right: 10px; File:Chris Jones, Arkansas gubernatorial candidate.jpg cropped 67 % horizontally, 67 % vertically using CropTool with lossless mode. } overflow: hidden; If you know some information, please comment below. District 6: Markeeta Tucker. } Chris Jones Wikipedia: A Political Newcomer Chris Jones is a nuclear designer running for governor of Arkansas. font-size: 16px; You will be a phenomenal Governor for the people's Republic of Arkansas! max-height: 580px; height: 22px; Contact our sales team. Nuclear engineer Chris Jones has won the Democratic primary for governor of Arkansas, the Associated Press projects. Sanders became the first female Governor of Arkansas, as well as the first daughter of a former governor to take office in United States history. We want to help grow entrepreneurs from the ground up.". We go to church together, we eat BBQ together and we watch football together. Democrat-Gazette. Dynamic Duos 2022: Drs. .indicate_scroll { His stance . And we're just kind of waiting for the right time,'" Chris Jones remembers. background-color: green; Box 242046Little Rock, AR 72223-9998connect@chrisforgovernor.com, Paid for by the Committee to Elect Chris Jones, KATV Primary Election feature: Dr. Chris Jones, Democratic governor hopeful. Chris Jones Lays Out His Plan For Becoming The Governor of Arkansas. Black Democrats try to revive party in Trump territory, Chris Jones Lays Out His Plan For Becoming The Governor of Arkansas, Dynamic Duos 2022: Drs. Would love to see her run - do it Sarah", "I have known @SarahHuckabee for years and worked closely with her. width: 100%; Another thing Jones credits his parents for: exposing him to horizon-broadening experiences. background-color: #db0000; Unless I can convince policymakers to do something different, then I can have all the solutions in the world and it won't matter." "Jones is a native son. padding-left: 10px; "I've been deeply rooted in Arkansas," he says. font-weight: 100; } .votebox_bp_logo { color: black; text-align: center; Hes running for the slot on the general ballot against Lt. Gov. Moreover, this year is their twentieth anniversary. .widget-key { "But what he'll have to do is take the opposite approach of a Sanders: galvanize small donors and build a multicultural coalition.". Source. color:white; color: white; .electionsectionheading { I was blessed to run the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, which provided the tools and technology Arkansans needed to build businesses and create jobs. background-color: #f9f9f9; } } District 13: Jen Standerfer. One day, one of her colleagues asked her if she would ever consider moving to Arkansas. font-weight: 300; vertical-align: top; State and local courts | by Talk Business & Politics staff ( staff2@talkbusiness.net) June 15, 2021 2:22 pm 2,240 views. } Lary Zeno of Maumelle first met Jones -- a friend and mentor Zeno affectionately nicknamed "Rocket Man"-- earlier this year after both earned a seat in the 14th Class of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Arkansas Program. Jones, a nuclear engineer and political newcomer, enter Arkansas governor's race. Despite the fact that Chris has not revealed all the names of her young ladies, he has shared many photos of his personal communication destinations. I knew then that I wanted to be an astronaut. He is the previous top of a charity organization in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Regional Innovation Hub. float: right; We have the professionals you need. Sanders has already raised nearly $5 million as she runs a campaign vowing to fight the "radical left" and federal government overreach. We began our campaign for Governor over 18 months ago in my hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. .votebox-results-metadata { Mike Huckabee and who served as press secretary under then-President Donald Trump, and state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. Together, their careers sound like what an eager kindergartner would say when asked what she wants to be when she grows up.). Jones became the first Democrat to win Washington County since 2010, and Sanders became the first Republican to win majority-Black Crittenden County since her father in 1998. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jones' responses. He also checks all the boxes that we dont say a Black man running for office needs to have but they absolutely do. For any specific requests, please contact media@chrisforgovernor.com. IE 11 is not supported. Pastor, scientist, and political novice Chris Jones says he can rebuild Bill Clinton's coalition to become Arkansas governor. height: 50px; A year and a half later, he met the woman who would become his wife, Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, a graduate of Harvard Medical School. max-width: 600px; The Promise to Protect Teacher Pay, Resources, and Retirement. Chris has faith in Arkansas's potential, and.