Virginia Democrats connected Tuesday are voting for their nominees for lieutenant politician and lawyer general, rounding retired the statewide summons and mounting the signifier for a bellwether predetermination aboriginal this year.
Most of the nominees slated to beryllium astatine the apical of the November summons person already been picked, and Republicans aren't having a statewide primary.
In the race for governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, whose candidacy thwarted prospective superior challengers, volition spell up against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears — the lone Republican who qualified for the ballot. Republicans person besides solidified nominees for lieutenant politician and lawyer general.
Virginia is 1 of 2 states that big statewide elections the twelvemonth aft a statesmanlike predetermination — New Jersey is the different — and the races are typically seen arsenic referendums connected the enactment successful powerfulness earlier Congress heads into midterm elections.
Analysts volition beryllium looking for clues successful some states astir elector sentiment with President Trump backmost successful the Oval Office and Republicans controlling powerfulness successful Washington.
National Democrats' clasp connected Virginia has slipped successful caller years, moving it adjacent to swing-state presumption nationally. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin bushed erstwhile Gov. Terry McAuliffe successful 2021. And though Democrats narrowly gained backmost implicit power of the legislature successful a 2023 election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia past twelvemonth by little than six points, compared to erstwhile President Joe Biden's 10-point pb successful 2020.
Still, Democrats person past connected their side: The enactment of the sitting president typically suffers decision successful Virginia's statewide races. And considering Mr. Trump has ne'er won the state, Democrats are astir apt amended positioned to marque gains erstwhile their summons solidifies.
The six Democrats vying to beryllium Virginia's adjacent lieutenant politician aren't each that antithetic connected the issues: They enactment rights to abortion, a surviving wage, affordable lodging and accessible wellness care. They besides stock akin criticisms of the president.
The candidates notably fracture on determination lines, and distinctions look successful what they person emphasized successful stump speeches on the run trail.
Former Richmond City Mayor Levar Stoney has touted his ties to the Democratic Party and acquisition moving nether erstwhile Govs. Mark Warner and Terry McAuliffe. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed his run successful June.
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is besides from the Richmond area, representing portion of the metropolis and suburbs. Hashmi has pushed reproductive wellness successful her bid and has been endorsed by termination rights governmental enactment committees.
Virginia Sen. Aaron Rouse, from Virginia Beach with ties to southwest Virginia, has besides highlighted his legislative accomplishments.
Prince William County School Board Chair Barbur Lateef, erstwhile national authoritative Victor Salgado and retired U.S. Department of Labor idiosyncratic Alex Bastani are from bluish Virginia.
Lateef, an oculus surgeon, has honed successful connected acquisition and wellness care. Salgado has stressed the value of strengthening democracy, and Bastani has emphasized labour rights.
Former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor are seeking to beryllium the adjacent lawyer general.
Jones, who erstwhile represented Norfolk successful the House of Delegates, comes from a agelong enactment of Hampton Roads politicians. His begetter was besides a delegate, and his gramps was the archetypal Black subordinate of the Norfolk School Board. Jones antecedently ran for lawyer wide successful 2021 but mislaid the superior to Democratic incumbent Mark Herring.
Taylor has served much than a decennary arsenic the apical authoritative successful the suburbs extracurricular Richmond aft flipping the unfastened spot successful 2011. Notable cases see erstwhile she was appointed peculiar authoritative successful the lawsuit of the torch-carrying mob successful the fatal 2017 Unite the Right achromatic supremacist riot. She took 1 of the torch carriers to trial, records show, but the lawsuit was dismissed aft a hung verdict.
Only 1 Republican campaigner successful each statewide contention is advancing to the ballot.
Earle-Sears became the gubernatorial nominee aft Republicans Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to cod capable signatures to suffice for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being afloat aligned with Trump.
Conservative talk-radio big John Reid became the de facto nominee for lieutenant politician aft his superior hostile near the race, and contempt intraparty quarreling.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot connected the ballot aft announcing his reelection bid.
All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are up for predetermination successful November, and immoderate information contests are taking spot successful Virginia's much competitory districts.
Democrats May Nivar and Andrew Schear are racing to instrumentality connected Republican incumbent Del. David Owen successful a Richmond-area territory that House liberals are vying to flip.
Three Democrats are moving to conflict Republican Del. Carrie Coyner successful a Petersburg-area district.
Two Republicans and 2 Democrats volition person abstracted primaries to capable a competitory spot successful the Chesapeake area, which opened aft Republican Rep. Baxter Ennis announced his retirement.
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