Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has unwittingly joined the five-man Democratic race for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.

DeKalb CEO and U.S. Senate candidate Vernon Jones has mailed "thousands" of flyers across the state bearing an image of himself and Obama holding microphones in front of a campaign crowd with the headline: "Yes We Can!"

Campaign mailer (ENLARGE)

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At first glance, it appears the two men are at the same campaign event. But they are not. The photo of Jones was digitally joined with one of Obama.

Jones acknowledged that his campaign combined the photos, but said he wasn't trying to mislead anyone. His Democratic opponents immediately accused him of implying he has been endorsed by Obama, an idea quickly shot down by Obama's campaign.

"The Obama campaign was not involved with the use the Senator Obama's picture in this mailer, and despite what this mailer inaccurately suggests, Senator Obama will not endorse a candidate in the U.S. Senate primary in Georgia," said Amy Brundage, a Chicago-based Obama spokeswoman. She declined further comment.

Jones said the campaign ad was not meant to imply an endorsement by Obama.

"Absolutely not," Jones said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon. "What it does say is that Obama and I share a vision for a new America." He added: "Obama and I represent the future of Georgia and America. We want to balance the budget, create jobs, provide affordable and accessible health care and prevent folks from losing their homes."

The DeKalb County leader said he has gotten nothing but positive feedback from the 11-inch-by-6-inch two-sided mailer.

"People are already asking me to sign it for them so they can put it up on their refrigerators," he said. "It's becoming a keepsake piece."

Jones, who did not endorse Obama until he was the obvious Democratic presidential nominee, pointed out that he is not the first Democrat in the U.S. Senate race to invoke Obama's name. Several of his opponents have verbally linked themselves to Obama's ideas during campaign debates and forums.

Jones, former WSB-TV reporter Dale Cardwell, Atlanta businessman Rand Knight, former state legislator Jim Martin and retired businessman Josh Lanier of Statesboro are seeking the Democratic nod in the July 15 primary for the right to take on incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

"I just put a face with a name," Jones said of his Obama mailer. "I hope every other Georgia will vote for him and support him and be a part of a change in Washington."

Martin, who has the backing of leaders of the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, declined comment on the mailer.

Cardwell, however, said it is misleading because Jones and Obama do not share the same ideals.

"Vernon is not going to be able to erase the fact that he is a Republican and voted George W. Bush twice," Cardwell said. "I think the people of Georgia will see through this and see that Vernon is a Republican in sheep's clothing."

Knight implied the mailer could come back to haunt Jones in the closing days of the campaign.

"This is a gross abuse and misuse of our Barack Obama's wonderful success in Georgia," Knight said. "Instead of running on his own meager record as a legislator, and instead of bringing new ideas to the people, Mr. Jones is using a doctored photo to ride on the coat-tails of our party's presidential nominee, a great leader who will change our country for the better, but who has not endorsed anyone in our Senate primary."

Lanier, who used to work as a U.S. Senate staffer, howled with laughter when asked about the flier.

"Absolutely nothing surprises me in politics anymore," he said. "It's just a continuation of do-anything, say-anything approach to getting elected. It usually happens at the end of campaigns, and it often works."

Staff writer Aaron Gould Sheinin contributed to this story.