ɐ dˈɛməkɹˌæt, dʒˈoʊnz sˈɜːvd ɪnðɪ ˌɪlənˈɔɪ sˈɛnət fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi θɹˈiː tə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪn, wˌɛɹ hiː sˈɜːvd æz pɹˈɛzɪdənt ʌvðɪ ˌɪlənˈɔɪ sˈɛnət fɹʌm tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː tə ðɪ ˈɛnd ʌv hɪz tˈɜːm.
A Democrat, Jones served in the Illinois Senate from 1983 to 2009, where he served as President of the Illinois Senate from 2003 to the end of his term.