Petersburg City Councilor Marlow Jones filed paperwork to run as an Independent for lieutenant governor. Jones typically votes with Republicans, he said, but he’s running as an Independent because he believes the lieutenant governor position should not be partisan.
He announced in January that he was exploring a potential run and filed his paperwork with the Department of Elections this week. “I think we’re divided in many towns and cities right now, and they need somebody who is a unified voice to just bring everybody back together,” Jones said during in interview with Virginia Scope.
His filing with the Department of Elections says he is running as a Republican, but Jones and his campaign manager said he is running as an Independent and will be in the Republican primary.
He said one of his priorities would be to support the governor, no matter who that ends up being.
Jones said he would provide a “strong united front up top and make sure that no one is left unattended to.”
The main job of the lieutenant governor is to preside over the state Senate and cast tie-breaking votes when necessary.
“I think being the tie-breaking vote, you should be somebody that is not swayed or persuaded by Republicans or Democrats,” Jones said. “It should be somebody who is not biased, who’s right there in the middle.”
Jones joined the military after he graduated from Petersburg High School. After he was in the military, he became a firefighter in Petersburg.
He was eventually appointed to be the assistant fire marshall in Petersburg before he transitioned to serve as the deputy state fire marshall.
In 2022, Jones opened OG Ribs & BBQ in Petersburg. He was elected to the Petersburg City Council that same year.
“Jones is determined to ignite economic growth throughout Virginia, empowering small businesses and creating jobs that provide a living wage for all,” he posted on his Facebook page in January.
“He understands that investing in our schools and vocational training programs is essential to equipping our youth with the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow,” the post continued. “Jones is passionate about expanding affordable healthcare and mental health services, recognizing that a healthy community is the foundation of a thriving society. His advocacy was instrumental in improving healthcare access in Petersburg where all city employees received healthcare at half the cost.”
Seven Democrats and three Republicans have filed to run for lieutenant governor. So far, Jones is the only Independent candidate in the race.