Virginia Democrat who helped turn once-red bastion blue launches bid for key office

Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor on Wednesday became the first major candidate from either party to announce a 2025 bid for attorney general of Virginia, a post that Republican Jason Miyares flipped three years ago. Taylor, though, is likely to face a tough primary campaign next year before she can focus on the eventual Republican nominee—who may or may not be Miyares.

While former Del. Jay Jones' team tells the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he'll wait until the end of the presidential election to announce if he'll join the race, prominent Old Dominion Democrats have already backed his long-anticipated campaign. Former Govs. Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam and Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano have all publicly called for Jones, who lost the 2021 primary to incumbent Mark Herring 57-43, to run again.