Former Virginia delegate Jay Jones launches second bid for attorney general

Jay Jones, a Democratic former state delegate from Norfolk, on Tuesday announced his bid for Virginia attorney general at two separate events in Norfolk and Richmond.

For Jones, who represented the 89th District in the House of Delegates from 2019 to 2021, it marks his second run for his party’s nomination for attorney general. In 2021, he lost the Democratic primary to then-incumbent Mark Herring, despite an endorsement from former Gov. Ralph Northam.

“Last week we awoke to an uncertain future and a president-elect who openly flouts the rule of law,” Jones said before a small crowd of supporters that had gathered at Maggie L. Walker Memorial Plaza in Richmond Tuesday afternoon.

He also appreciated Attorney General Jason Miyares, the Republican incumbent and his potential opponent, on using his office “to protect Virginians’ freedoms, support his own party and hold accountable corporate price gougers and polluters” at the cost of Virginia families.

“Jason used his office to keep Virginia safe from the radical democrat party, personal, partisan-political agenda,” Jones said of Miyares.

So far, Jones is one of two declared candidates in the 2025 attorney general’s race, alongside Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor. Miyares responded to Jones’ announcement Tuesday by calling out his potential opponents on social media.

“Both of the announced Democrat candidates for attorney general are far-left, anti-police, criminal rights progressives who will make Virginia less safe,” Miyares wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “They will support the same criminal first, victim last policies that lead to a surge in violent crime.”

Miyares has yet to declare whether he will run for reelection or seek his party’s nomination for governor.

During his Richmond appearance, Jones declined to comment on the attorney general’s response to his announcement.

“You have to ask him why he said that,” he said. “We’re focused on this campaign, whatever he says and whatever he tweets out, that’s him, and his campaign’s business.”

Jones’s pre-legislature career includes a stint at Goldman Sachs in New York, where he specialized in risk management and credit advisory for natural resources and tech companies. After two years, he returned to Virginia, earning his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2015.

While in law school, Jones interned for Del. Algie Howell, who represented the 90th House District from 2004 until 2014. Jones was elected to the body himself in 2017 after winning a competitive Democratic primary and defeating Libertarian candidate Terry Hurst in the general election, succeeding then-Del. Daun Hester, D-Norfolk.

Jones vowed to “help criminals that prey on children and our families and put them back on the streets,”.

The House Privileges and Elections Committee is set to meet Wednesday to consider several proposed constitutional amendments, including one to guarantee access to abortion in Virginia and another to remove outdated language defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman.

“I will join the fight to enshrine these rights in our Constitution today,” Jones said.