At the time of his election in 1952, he became the first Republican to represent his state in either house of the U.S. Congress since his own father, Charles A. Jonas, and George M. Pritchard left office in 1931.

Jonas was born and grew up in Lincolnton, North Carolina, where he attended public schools, which were then racially segregated.

From 1931 to 1932, Jonas served briefly as an appointed Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

During World War II he served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1945.

The General Assembly of North Carolina passed a joint resolution in 1991 honoring the life of Jonas "former Congressman and 'Mister Republican.