Chris Jones

Christopher Michael Jones (born October 13, 1976) is an American politician who was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Arkansas in the 2022 election. Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he attended Morehouse College and graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously worked at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, from which he resigned in April 2021. On June 15, 2021, Jones announced that he was entering the Democratic primary for governor of Arkansas. He won the primary but lost the general election to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. On August 1, 2025, Jones filed to run for the Democratic nomination in Arkansas's 2nd congressional district.

Early life Christopher Michael Jones was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on October 13, 1976, where he "rode dirt bikes and fought grasshoppers". He is a 7th generation Arkansan, and his family arrived in Arkansas before it was designated a territory in 1819. Both of his parents are preachers, his father is also an insurance sales representative and his mother is also a retired teacher.

Jones was inspired by the Challenger space launch to become an astronaut. However, he was ineligible because he cannot hear out of his left ear. Jones met Bill Clinton when Clinton was governor of Arkansas, which interested Jones in politics.

Jones attended Watson Chapel High School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated in 1995 at the top of his class. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelors of Science in Physics. He interned at NASA each summer. Later, Jones enrolled in a doctoral program in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and graduated in 2016 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning. As a student, Jones was the co-chair of the Black Graduate Student Association. His dissertation researched the social, political, and economic impacts of development using the Tennessee Valley Authority as a test case; it was called Power for the public good: energy, race and class in the United States.

Jones's choices of Morehouse College and MIT were inspired respectively by Martin Luther King Jr. and Ronald McNair. His research included an 18-month study on the future of nuclear power, plasma fusion, nuclear nonproliferation, and large-scale energy infrastructure systems. He left the position in April 2013. Jones was also appointed by Boston mayor Martin J. Walsh to the “Neighborhood Innovation District Committee” which was intended to improve economic development across the city.

In 2015, Chris Jones left Dudley Street Neighborhood initiative for BCT Partners, a consulting firm. At BCT Partners, he led many large federal projects. The Innovation Hub is a nonprofit in North Little Rock, Arkansas, that is affiliated with Winrock International. In 2020, Jones announced a partnership with Scenic Hill Solar to create a solar power plant, a community based solar project that powered the Innovation Hub's energy needs. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Innovation Hub launched the Arkansas Maker Task Force, which included over 260 Arkansas makers In 2021, Jones partnered with two Fortune 500 companies to expand the organization's outreach in Central Arkansas. Jones met regularly with Venture Center and Startup Junkie to collaborate on how to best help startups. Jones stepped down as the director of the Innovation Hub on April 29, 2021.

Jones was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to the board of directors of the Division of Science and Technology of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

Jones is also an ordained minister.

Since 2022, Jones has been "unemployed" per federal campaign contribution records filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Recognition For his efforts as an assistant dean at MIT, Jones received the Irwin Sizer Award for Significant Improvements to MIT Education for his work leading the MIT Summer Research Program Design Team. He shared this recognition with Professor Paula T. Hammond.

Jones was a member of Class XIV of Leadership Arkansas, a group selected by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce to learn about issues facing people in Arkansas.

In 2020, Jones was chosen as one of three Arkansans for the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, which included visits to the presidential libraries of Lyndon B. Johnson, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election

On June 15, 2021, Jones announced his intention to run for governor of Arkansas. He also released what became a viral biographical video, "About Time", describing Jones's educational background and intent to bring innovation to Arkansas. The video later won two Pollie awards from the American Association of Political Consultants.

Jones said he was running because he wanted to "focus on solutions, not politics." He cited rebuilding infrastructure, investing in healthcare and education and expanding rural broadband as his goals. Jones had not previously run for an elected position. Jones maintained the front-runner status throughout the primary race, in both opinion polls and fundraising.

In February, Jones visited all 75 counties of Arkansas during "The Promise of Arkansas Tour". On the tour, Jones discussed his "PB&J" policy agenda: preschool, broadband, and jobs, citing Arkansas's ranking in the bottom of education. The tour also served as a listening tour where Jones said that he could learn what issues mattered most to Arkansans. Jones argued that the state could fulfill its promise through "faith, hope, and hard work." The primary election was held on May 24, 2022.

Jones became the first Black candidate to run for governor from the Democratic Party, This tour is the second time that the campaign went to each county across the state. Jones said that his campaign was about "neighbors talking to neighbors". Others noted that this strategy was very different from that of the Republican candidate.

2026 congressional election On August 1, 2025, Jones filed to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. representative in the 2026 election for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district. At UAMS, Jerrilyn became the inaugural director of the post-baccalaureate program, which intends to serve as a bridge for students who may have a difficult time getting admitted to emergency medicine. Jerrilyn Jones also serves as medical director of preparedness at the Arkansas Department of Health.

Jones's older brother Leon Jones is a longtime member of the Republican Party. Leon Jones ran for the office of Arkansas Attorney General in the 2022 Republican primary election, but he did not win. Chris Jones said having a brother in a different party gave him practice speaking with voters from both parties.