- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Georgia Republican Leader Announces Retirement After 2 Decades
Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, will not seek re-election to House District 47 after over 20 years in the General Assembly.
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Jan Jones, the Republican Speaker Pro Tem of the Georgia House of Representatives, announced on Thursday that she will not seek re-election to House District 47 and will retire at the end of her current term. Jones has served in the Georgia General Assembly for over two decades and made history in 2022 as the first and so far only woman to serve as interim House Speaker after the death of Speaker John Ralston.
Why it matters
Jones' retirement marks the end of an era in Georgia politics, as she has been a prominent Republican leader in the state for over 20 years. Her tenure as the longest-serving speaker pro tem in the United States and her historic role as the first female interim House Speaker in Georgia highlight her significant influence and impact on state politics.
The details
Jones announced that she will not run for re-election to House District 47, which she has represented since 2002. During her time in the legislature, she served as the Speaker Pro Tem, the second-highest ranking position in the Georgia House, since 2010. Jones also made history in 2022 when she became the interim House Speaker following the death of Speaker John Ralston, becoming the first and so far only woman to hold that position in Georgia.
- Jones first won election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2002.
- She was elected as Speaker Pro Tem in 2010 and has held that position for 16 years.
- Jones served as interim House Speaker in 2022 following the death of Speaker John Ralston.
The players
Jan Jones
The Republican Speaker Pro Tem of the Georgia House of Representatives, who has announced her retirement after over 20 years in the General Assembly.
John Ralston
The former Georgia House Speaker who passed away in 2022, leading to Jones' historic interim appointment as the first female House Speaker in Georgia.
Jon Burns
The current Georgia House Speaker, who was elected after Jones' interim tenure.
What they’re saying
“I will miss the rewarding work, the ability to help constituents and of course the many colleagues who've become dear friends since my first election in 2002.”
— Jan Jones, Republican Speaker Pro Tem, Georgia House of Representatives (wsbtv.com)
“Speaker Pro Tem Jones is a trailblazer who will leave a significant mark on state history. Jan's 16-year tenure in House leadership reflects the abiding faith and admiration her colleagues have for her.”
— Jon Burns, Georgia House Speaker (wsbtv.com)
The takeaway
Jan Jones' retirement marks the end of an era in Georgia politics, as she has been a prominent Republican leader in the state for over two decades. Her historic tenure as the first female interim House Speaker in Georgia and her long service as the longest-serving speaker pro tem in the United States highlight her significant influence and impact on state politics.
