COVINGTON, Ga. — The number who confirmed they will be part of a 10th Congressional District candidate forum may have gotten smaller in recent days but it has added one who is the latest Georgia candidate to receive former President Donald Trump's endorsement.

Vernon Jones, whom Trump endorsed Feb. 9, has been added to the list of candidates who say they will take part in the forum set for Saturday, Feb. 19, from 3-5 p.m. at Canaan Baptist Church in Covington, according to information from the 10th District GOP.

Organizers said Friday they have confirmations of attendance from a total of 10 Republican candidates who have announced their candidacies for the May 24 primary.

Among the candidates set to appear are state Rep. Timothy Barr of Lawrenceville, whom U.S. Rep. Jody Hice has endorsed; former U.S. Rep. Paul Broun of Athens, who served as the district’s congressman from 2007-2015; and Jackson trucking company owner Mike Collins, who lost a GOP runoff to Hice in 2014 and is a son of the late U.S. Rep. Mac Collins.

Others include Andrew Alvey of Social Circle; former state revenue commissioner David Curry of Henry County; and Jones, the former Democratic state lawmaker and DeKalb County CEO who switched parties.

Monroe businessman Marc McMain, who has the endorsement of Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman; Monroe resident Charles Rupert; former Air Force colonel Alan Sims of Winder; and former Marine colonel Mitchell Swan of Good Hope also will participate.

Barrow County businessman Matt Richards and Patrick Witt, a former Trump administration official, formerly were listed as participants but were not on a lineup of candidates the 10th District Republican Party organization released Friday..

The 10th District was redrawn in response to population shifts found in the 2020 census. It includes most of Newton County and parts or all of 18 other counties in north and east Georgia.

The congressional seat came open in 2021 after Hice announced he would challenge incumbent Brad Raffensperger for secretary of state.

The district is heavily Republican and voted about 70% for Trump in the 2020 presidential election, despite Democrat Joe Biden narrowly winning the statewide vote.

Canaan Baptist Church is at at 5581 Salem Road in Covington. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. and the forum will begin at 3.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/NewtonCountyRepublicanParty or https://www.facebook.com/gagop10th/.