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Formerly Dell, Virginia. Jay Jones has secured the Democratic nomination for Virginia Attorney General.
The Associated Press predicts that Jones has won the Democratic primary and will challenge existing Republican Attorney General Jason Miyarez this November.
Miyares was elected attorney general in 2021 along with GOP Glenn Youngkin, who was term-limited this year, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lieutenant Colonel Winsome Earle-Sears. All three Republicans have turned their Democratic seats upside down during the 2021 statewide election, with Democrats trying to regain control of Virginia later this year.
President Donald Trump’s name didn’t appear on top of tickets during Virginia’s primary on Tuesday, but his sweeping second term agenda set the vote up and down.
Trump Factor: Elections in this critical state are considered partial referendum on the president
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares will join President Donald Trump on stage at a rally at the Green Briar Farms held in Chesapeake, Virginia on June 28, 2024. (Photo: Anna Money Maker/Getty Images)
Miyares, the first Hispanic American to be elected to Virginia’s statewide office and attorney general for immigrants, supports Trump’s agenda in Virginia, but Democrat lawyers across the United States have led the judicial agenda to Trump’s executive branch.
Trump isn’t a vote, but the president will affect Tuesday’s high stakes primary
Jones and his competitor, Henrico Commonwealth lawyer Shannon Taylor, both tried to exploit the anger of key voters over Trump’s administration’s cuts to the federal government, including massive layoffs through government efficiency (DOGE).
Former Attorney General Jones has identified issues with his top campaign as protecting Virginia from the Trump administration.
“Donald Trump is making unprecedented attacks on Virginia’s community, work and even civil rights,” Jones included in a statement on his campaign’s website.
President Donald Trump will shake hands with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin at a rally at the Greenbrier Farms held in Chesapeake, Virginia on June 28, 2024. (Anna Money Maker/Getty Images)
Jones praised the Attorney General for unlocking federal funds and stepping up to protect Americans by suing the Trump administration to refuse to overreach executions. “But here in Virginia, Maga extremist Attorney General Jason Miyares has put politics first and refused to take part in efforts to defend against unconstitutional and non-American Trump policies.”
Public safety, reducing costs through corporate accountability, protecting civil and constitutional rights, and maintaining the right to abortion were one of Jones’ additional campaign promises.
Taylor’s campaign focused on public safety, protecting abortion rights, reducing costs, preventing gun violence and building Virginia’s economy to support the middle class.
Elon Musk and President Donald Trump (Samuel Colum/Sipa/Bloomberg by Getty Images) on a Tesla model vehicle located on the south lawn of the White House in Washington on March 11, 2025.
Taylor’s first campaign ad featured images of Trump buying a Tesla at the White House and images of Elon Musk holding a chainsaw at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
“I’m running for the Attorney General to beat Trump and Musk,” Taylor said.
Virginia’s elections will be used by political experts and politicians as a precursor to the competitive midterm elections expected in 2026. They are early opportunities to measure how Americans are responding to Trump’s second term, and we can see how they vote next year when Congressional majority are in line.
Virginia is one of two gubernatorial elections this year, along with New Jersey, which held its primary election last week.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyaress is sitting in his office in Richmond, Virginia on January 19, 2022. (Washington Post by Getty Images)
Commonwealth Republicans lost to Democrats for the 12th consecutive year when they wiped out elections for Virginia’s governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general four years ago.
However, Republicans have not won a federal White House contest since 2004.
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Trump lost six points in the presidential election last November. This was a four-point improvement from the 2020 defeat.
Still, Republicans are expected to face an upward fight in November. There was only one exception since 1977, with the White House-holding party losing the Virginia gubernatorial election.
Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a political writer for Fox News Digital.
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