Politics

Quran-burning pastor ready to set presidential field ablaze

Jamie Weinstein Senior Writer
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Quran-burning Pastor Terry Jones is apparently putting down the matches and entering the presidential race.

A press release from his organization Stand Up America Now simply declared Wednesday: “Announcing: Dr. Terry Jones for President.”

Jones, who serves as pastor of a Gainesville, Fla., church with a reported membership of under 100 people, gained infamy in 2010 when he declared he would burn a number of Qurans on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Though Jones and his church were relatively obscure, media reports of “International Burn a Quran Day” spurred riots around the Muslim world, some resulting in deaths. Under international pressure to cancel his Quran-burning extravaganza, Jones backed down, but ultimately did burn a Quran earlier this year after holding a trial of the book at his church. Britain’s Daily Mail reported only 30 people were in attendance.

In the press release announcing his candidacy for president, Jones doesn’t say if he is seeking a particular party’s nomination. He does, however, list a series of issues he is running on, none of which include Quran-burning.

Among Jones’ seven campaign promises are calls to “deport all illegals” and “stop overspending immediately.”

Jones has not yet returned a request for an interview from TheDC.

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This article has been corrected. Pastor Jones’ church is located in Gainesville, Fla.