Latest news with #LieutenantGovernor
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Petersburg councilor shifts independent lieutenant governor bid to write-in campaign
His name will not be pre-printed on the November ballot under "Lieutenant Governor," but Petersburg Councilor Marlow Jones is hoping voters will print his name on the Nov. 4 ballot under "Write-In" with their pens. Jones, known for his outspokenness and candor while representing Petersburg's Ward 1 the past two years, announced June 20 he is launching a write-in campaign for Virginia's No. 2 elected post. Earlier in the year, Jones began circulating petitions to be on the ballot as an independent candidate, but he failed to meet the minimum requirements for his name to appear. So, Jones is going to Plan B with the write-in campaign. 'This race should be about the people—our youth, our seniors, and working families who are too often ignored by the political elite,' Jones said in a statement released by his campaign. 'I'm not here for backroom deals or partyloyalty. I'm here to fight for the voiceless.' Jones, a former Petersburg Fire official, told The Progress-Index last March that he toyed with the idea of seeking the Republican lieutenant governor nod but changed his mind. Virginia's lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and votes to break ties when senators deadlock on an issue. In most cases, that person votes with their party, but Jones said he was not keen on that prospect. 'I believe that if I am the deciding vote in the Senate, I should be nonpartisan,' Jones said then. On the ballot for lieutenant governor are Democrat Ghazala Hashmi, a Chesterfield County state senator, and Republican John Reid, a former Richmond newscaster and radio talk-show host. More: Democrats select nominees for lieutenant governor, attorney general in down-to-wire races In the announcement, Jones acknowledged the tough road ahead of him. No candidates without party backing or who run write-in campaigns have been successful in winning major political office in Virginia. That is why he is announcing his candidacy five months before the November election −to garner grassroots support. Jones also said he had been told that his candidacy might make Hashmi or Reid uncomfortable, and he is fine with that. 'If you're tired of politics as usual, and ready to see someone hold statewide candidates accountable, then I'm your choice,' Jones stated in the announcement. 'This is a voter-conscious campaign, and every nickel and dime helps us carry this message across the commonwealth.' More: Dougherty wins Democratic nod in House race; Flowers cruises in Petersburg local primary Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg councilor Jones launches write-in bid for lieutenant governor
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ghazala Hashmi declares victory in Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi declared victory Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor, leading the six-person race with 27.5% of the vote. The next closest candidate, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, conceded the race Wednesday morning with 26.7% of the vote. State Sen. Aaron Rouse finished in third with 26.1% of the vote and conceded the race Tuesday night. Three other Democrats trailed, each earning less than 10% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the state Department of Elections. The Associated Press called the race for Hashmi on Wednesday morning. 'Today, we've made history yet again, not just by winning this primary, but by declaring with one voice that Virginia is not going to be bullied or broken or dragged backwards by the chaos that's unfolding in Washington,' Hashmi said Tuesday night, addressing a group of about 50 supporters at a condo complex's clubhouse in Richmond. Hashmi is the first Muslim and South Asian-American elected to the state senate and would be the first Muslim on a statewide ticket in Virginia. She took office in 2020 and said she was initially inspired to run in reaction to anti-Muslim rhetoric from President Donald Trump. 'Now, we don't have time for small plans or soft voices,' she added, nodding to her critics who have described her as too soft spoken. 'We need spines of steel. We're facing a pivotal moment in our history, and while MAGA-driven Republican ticket might try to take our state backwards, I'm running, and you're running with me with the unshakable belief in what Virginia can be.' Stoney initially said Tuesday night he would wait for all the votes to be counted. The vote counts are still unofficial, but he subsequently exited the race. If the race is within a percentage point, candidates can request a recount that they pay for; if the totals are within 0.5%, the state will pay for a recount. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, posted her congratulations to Hashmi on social media Tuesday night. 'As a proven leader in the Virginia Senate, Senator Hashmi has passed legislation that's delivered economic investment, improved schools, protected healthcare, and defended reproductive freedom,' Spanberger wrote. The winner of Tuesday's Democratic primary election will become the nominee for lieutenant governor and will face the Republican nominee, conservative radio host John Reid, in the general election for the position in November. Reid is the first openly gay person on the state's ticket. With DEI under attack, here's how Virginia's diverse slate of candidates talk about identity At time of writing, about 480,000 votes had been counted. That's comparable to the 2021 statewide primary, where about half a million people voted in the Democratic primary, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. It was an expensive race. VPAP reported that Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor cumulatively raised about $7.6 million. Stoney raised about $2.1 million, and Rouse and Hashmi each raised about $1.8 million. Hashmi currently serves as chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee. Before she was a legislator, she was a college professor at the University of Richmond and Reynolds Community College. She was endorsed by abortion rights and climate groups. Originally from York County, Stoney served as the mayor of Richmond from 2017 through 2024. Before that, he was secretary of commonwealth in Gov. Terry McAuliffe's administration. Stoney said previously that those roles prepared him well to run as lieutenant governor and touted his decision to remove Confederate monuments on city property after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. The former mayor received criticism after city police tear gassed those same protesters. And, critics blamed Stoney for January's water crisis that left much of the city without drinkable water just days after he left office. On the campaign trail, Stoney deflected some of the blame to his predecessor Dwight Jones, according to reporting from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Virginia primary election results Stoney pulled some big name endorsements, including McAuliffe, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and actor Levar Burton. Rouse is a state senator representing Virginia Beach, from where he originally hails. A former professional football player and Virginia Beach City Council member, Rouse took office in 2023 after a special election. He was preceded by Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Republican. This legislative session, Rouse sponsored the Senate version of the Save Local Pharmacies Act, which realigns the state's Medicaid pharmacy benefit under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). That law takes effect July 5. Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, had raised just over $300,000 between January and June of this year. John Curran, who failed to qualify for the ballot but is running a write-in campaign for lieutenant governor, had raised more than $1 million. In Virginia, the lieutenant governor and governor are elected separately, meaning they do not run on a shared ticket and it's possible — though rare — for two different parties to occupy those positions. Current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee for governor, has not yet appeared alongside Reid, though the Republicans did not hold a primary this year. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kateseltzer@
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Ghazala Hashmi wins Democratic nomination for Virginia lieutenant governor
The candidates for Virginia's lieutenant governor are set to make history after state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi won the Democratic nomination for the office on Wednesday. Hashmi is the first Muslim and the first Indian-American to be nominated for a Virginia statewide office. She defeated five other candidates, including Democrats Levar Stoney and Aaron Rouse, in a razor-thin primary race. Hashmi will now face Republican John Reid, the first out gay man to receive a major party's endorsement for statewide office in Virginia, who became the de-facto nominee after his primary opponent left the race. Her victory rounded out the Democratic ticket ahead of the November general election. It comes after former Virginia delegate Jay Jones became the party nominee for attorney general late Tuesday. Virginia's off-year elections typically draw national attention ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrats held down-ballot races for their statewide ticket, which is being led by Abigail Spanberger, the party's nominee for governor. The former congresswoman, whose candidacy managed to avoid prospective primary challengers, will go up against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the only person to qualify for the GOP primary. Republicans did not hold statewide primaries this year, with only one candidate in each statewide contest advancing to the general election ballot. Earle-Sears became the Republican gubernatorial nominee after conservatives Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially criticized Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with the White House. Reid, a conservative talk-radio host, secured the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography, a charge he vehemently denied. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares didn't face a Republican primary opponent as he seeks reelection. Hashmi was the first Muslim woman and the first South Asian American in Virginia's upper chamber. She emigrated from India when she was four years old, later moving to Richmond after getting a doctorate in American literature. She spent most of her career as a professor, first at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College. Hashmi began her career in the Virginia Senate six years ago after ousting incumbent Republican state Sen. Glen Sturtevant. She was reelected to her seat in 2023. In the Senate, Hashmi put forth bills establishing Virginians' right to contraception, which passed both chambers but were vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Ghazala Hashmi wins Democratic nomination for Virginia lieutenant governor
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The candidates for Virginia's lieutenant governor are set to make history after Sen. Ghazala Hashmi won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor on Wednesday. Hashmi is the first Muslim and the first Indian-American to be nominated to appear on the ballot for a Virginia statewide office. She defeated five other candidates, including Democrats Levar Stoney and Aaron Rouse, to secure the nomination in a razor-thin primary race. Hashmi will now face Republican John Reid, the first openly gay man to receive a major party's endorsement for statewide office in Virginia, who became the de-facto nominee after his primary opponent left the race. Her victory rounded out the Democratic ticket ahead of the November general election. It comes after former Del. Jay Jones became the party nominee for attorney general late Tuesday. Virginia's off-year elections typically draw national attention as a possible bellwether for politicians as they head into midterms in 2026. Democrats held down-ballot races for their statewide ticket, which is being led by U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the party's nominee for governor. The former congresswoman, whose candidacy managed to avoid prospective primary challengers, will go up against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the only person to qualify for the GOP primary. Conservatives did not hold statewide primaries this year, with only one candidate in each statewide contest advancing to the general election ballot. Earle-Sears became the Republican gubernatorial nominee after conservatives Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with the White House. Reid, a conservative talk-radio host, secured the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography, a charge he vehemently denied. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot on the ballot after announcing his reelection bid. Hashmi's political career has been marked by its fair share of firsts: she was the first Muslim woman and the first South Asian American in Virginia's upper chamber. She emigrated from India to Georgia when she was four years old, later moving to Richmond after getting a doctorate in American literature. She spent most of her career as a professor, first at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College. The Democrat managed to distinguish herself by touting her legislative chops. Hashmi began her career in the Virginia Senate six years ago after ousting incumbent Republican Sen. Glen Sturtevant. She was reelected to her seat in 2023. In the Senate, Hashmi put forth bills establishing Virginians' right to contraception, which passed both chambers but were vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. ___ Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Big turnout for Democrats in Virginia's early primary voting gives party hope
RICHMOND — Early voting was strong across Virginia this year in the 45 days leading up to Tuesday's primary elections, in which voters will choose Democratic nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general and, in a handful of districts, candidates from both parties for the House of Delegates and local offices.
