by Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Norfolk Democrat will face Miyares in November; lieutenant governor race still undecided.

In a nail-biter Democratic primary Tuesday, Jay Jones narrowly defeated Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in the race for attorney general, setting up a November showdown with Republican incumbent Jason Miyares. 

According to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, Jones won 51% of the vote to Taylor’s 49%.

Jones, a former state delegate from Norfolk and one-time candidate for attorney general in 2021, returns to statewide politics with a renewed focus on consumer protection, corporate accountability, and civil rights.

 “The Attorney General should work for the people, not the wealthiest corporations in our state,” Jones told The Mercury in a recent interview. “I will always fight to hold special interests accountable, encourage cleaner and more affordable energy practices, and protect families from unfair utility costs.”

With a razor-thin victory margin, the win marks a political comeback for Jones, who stepped away from elected office in 2021 following the birth of his first child. During his tenure in the House of Delegates, he helped pass legislation to expand Medicaid, raise teacher pay, defend abortion rights, and authored the “Ashanti Alert” law for missing adults — now used nationwide.

He also drew on his experience as an Assistant Attorney General in Washington, D.C., where he cracked down on slumlords, gun manufacturers and price-gouging corporations. 

“As Attorney General, I’ll continue this fight and take on the corporate price gougers driving up costs for working families,” Jones said, citing the proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger as one example.

Jones, a descendant of enslaved Virginians and son of the late Judge Jerrauld C. Jones, grew up steeped in public service. His grandfather was a pioneering civil rights attorney and the first Black member of the State Board of Education.

In the crowded six-way Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, no winner had emerged by 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi of Richmond held a narrow lead with 27.39% of the vote (131,587 ballots), followed closely by former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney with 26.64% (127,973) and state Sen. Aaron Rouse of Virginia Beach with 26.34% (126,525). Trailing were Prince William School Board Chair Babur Lateef (8.41%), former Fairfax judge Alex Bastani (5.69%), and activist Victor Salgado (5.56%).

That contest is likely headed for a canvas and potential recount given the tight margins between the top three candidates.

Virginia’s Democratic ticket will come into sharper focus once the LG results are certified. But with Jones now locked in to challenge Miyares, voters can expect a high-profile battle this fall over criminal justice, consumer rights, and the future of abortion access.

With primaries now decided in all 100 of Virginia’s House of Delegates districts, voters on Tuesday finalized the matchups for what’s expected to be a high-stakes general election in November. Several races across the state emerged as especially competitive or revealing, offering a preview of the ideological and geographic battlegrounds that could determine control of the chamber.

House District 21:

Gregory Gorham will be the Republican nominee in this highly competitive swing district, after winning a three-way primary with 66% of the vote. Gorham defeated Sahar Smith (27%) and Xanthe Larsen (6.6%). The district is currently held by Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William, and both parties are expected to invest heavily in the general election. Data center development has emerged as a flashpoint in the race, with Gorham promising stricter regulations and increased taxation.

(Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.)