Jay Jones, the former state delegate from Norfolk and the son of a hugely influential politician and judge, will become the state’s first Black Attorney General.
As of Wednesday morning, Jones held a lead of about 6% over Republican incumbent Jason Miyares — a substantial win, but far short of the double-digit victories his fellow statewide Democrats scored Tuesday.
Jones battled through a scandal about text messages he sent in 2022 joking about shooting a Republican lawmaker and his family to take the election.
Speaking at an event in Richmond Tuesday night, Jones said he recognizes the weight of history and that he walks in the footsteps of those who paved the way for his historic win.
“My father was one of the first to integrate classrooms in Norfolk, Virginia, even as the attorney general of Virginia tried to shut those same schools down,” he said.
Jones shouted out labor groups, the environmentalist community and those who want to preserve abortion access in the state as those who helped propel him to victory. He also said his election “sent a message” to President Donald Trump and “corporate special interests that believe Virginia’s government should be beholden to them.”
“We have big fights ahead of us. Our country and our commonwealth will continue to be tested,” Jones said. “I will defend the rights of every single Virginian. I will protect our jobs, our healthcare and our economy from Donald Trump’s attacks. I will take on those big corporations that have controlled our politics for far too long.”
At the Embassy Suites in Virginia Beach, the crowd for incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares was hopeful early on election night.
The crowd held out hope as the governor and lieutenant governor’s races were quickly called in favor of Democratic candidates Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi.
But the mood dulled as screens around the party showed Fox News calling the attorney general’s race for Jones.
Former Gov.governor George Allen came to the stage just before 10 p.m. to acknowledge the Democrats’ sweep of statewide offices and introduce Miyares.
“It’s exceedingly difficult for those lower on the ticket to overcome … the political gravity at the top of the ticket,” Allen said.
AllenThe former governor praised the work Miyares did as attorney general and said Miyares was “by far leading the ballot.”
The attorney general’s race, where the candidates were separated by about 4% around 10:30 p.m., was considerably closer than the other statewide races, where Democrats were leading by double-digits.
Miyares thanked his supporters and voters for giving him four years in the job. He said he wished his opponent – who served with him as a delegate from 2018-2022 – who was caught up in a scandal over the last few weeks about text messages alluding to violence against a Republican lawmaker – the best in succeeding him.
“As the hallmark of our democracy, I wish Jay Jones the best in this job. I know given the circumstances of the last six weeks, many of my supporters will find that difficult, but the reason I wish Jay the best is because we, the people of Virginia, need it," Miyares said.
He struck a conciliatory tone, noting that differences of political opinion are not the end-all and said Democrats assuming power would do well to remember that the pendulum will swing back.
"It always does," Miyares said to cheers.
