Former Norfolk Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, officially jumped into the race for attorney general Tuesday. He is seeking the Democratic nomination.
“Today, with hope for a brighter future for our Commonwealth and our nation, I am proud to announce my campaign for Attorney General of Virginia,” Jones said in his announcement. “As Virginia’s Attorney General, my highest priority will always be the safety and freedom of Virginia families.”
Jones ran for attorney general in 2021 and lost in the Democratic primary to two-term incumbent Mark Herring.
This time, a large coalition of Democrats is backing him for the nomination, including former Gov. Ralph Northam, who also endorsed him in 2021, and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
“As your Attorney General, I will protect Virginia families, our children, and the most vulnerable. We’ll crack down on those who would do our kids harm by working with law enforcement to get illegal guns off our streets, shut down drug traffickers, and hold to account gun manufacturers whose weapons of war are used to commit mass shootings and crimes,” Jones continued in his statement. “I’ll take on the social media companies fueling a mental health crisis among young people and corporations that pollute our air and water. I’ll crack down on price-gougers, predatory lenders, and corporate landlords that break the law and make life unaffordable for the middle class.”
Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor is also seeking the Democratic nomination.
Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano was rumored to be considering a run, but instead, he opted to endorse Jones earlier this year.
“I will admit that this was a thing that I looked at. I had a lot of people reach out to me who were interested in me doing it,” Descano said in May. “I think it just became clear to me that with winning being important, Jay is the man for this moment. Jay is the person who is going to be able to get the party to coalesce around him because he lives our democratic values in a way that I really respect.”
Jones served in the House of Delegates from 2017-2021 before resigning when his wife was pregnant with their first child.
In his resignation statement, Jones made it clear that he planned to return to politics, specifically naming a 2025 run for attorney general.
“Let me be clear, our work is not done and I intend to serve the people of Virginia for years to come,” he wrote. “And that work may well mean a run for Attorney General in 2025.”