Virginia attorney general primary: Jay Jones wins Democratic nomination

Jay Jones emerged victorious in Tuesday's primary election as the Democratic nominee for attorney general. He will face incumbent Republican Jason Miyares in November.
With 95% of votes counted, The Associated Press called the race for Jones. Jones, an attorney who previously represented Norfolk in the Virginia House of Delegates, had 51% of the vote compared to Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor, who had 49%.
The mood was joyous at a Norfolk watch party at Afterglow Brewing as the race was called. Jones and wife Mavis arrived shortly after 10 p.m. to cheers and applause.
In a speech to supporters, Jones thanked the campaign and said he was honored to accept the nomination.
'I am ready for this fight and I am ready to win,' Jones said to more cheers.
Jones also launched attacks against Miyares, calling him President Donald Trump's pro bono lawyer.
'We deserve better,' Jones said. 'We can do better, and we will get better this November.'
In an emailed statement, Taylor thanked her campaign and called on supporters to rally behind Jones and the Democratic ticket in November.
'This campaign may be over, but our movement is not,' Taylor said.
This is Jones' second run for attorney general. He previously ran against then-incumbent Mark Herring in the 2021 Democratic primary — Herring won with about 57% of the vote but went on to lose to Miyares in the general election. In this election, Herring, alongside former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry and six commonwealth's attorneys, endorsed Taylor.
Jones was also endorsed by powerful Democrats, including US Sen. Cory Booker and former Virginia governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam. He represented parts of Norfolk in the General Assembly from 2018 until he stepped down at the end of 2021 just after his reelection.
On the campaign trail, Taylor highlighted Jones's comparative lack of experience. Though Jones is an attorney and previously served as state delegate representing Norfolk and as an assistant attorney general in D.C., he had never prosecuted a criminal case.
Jones raised more than $2.7 million to Taylor's $2.1 million. Taylor's biggest donor was Dominion Energy, which donated $800,000 to her campaign. Jones was endorsed by Clean Virginia, a major donation group that funds candidates who decline to accept money from Virginia's biggest publicly regulated utility.
Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com

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