Miyares to seek second term as Virginia attorney general
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is officially seeking a second term, he announced Monday.
“I serve as the people’s protector,” he said of his role as the state’s top lawyer in an X post announcing his reelection campaign.
I am running for re-election as Attorney General.
As Attorney General, I’ve deployed every tool available to keep Virginians safe and violent criminals off our streets.
We are not going back to the failed policies of the past; our families’ safety and Virginia’s future… pic.twitter.com/ifsMv7YwkG
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) November 18, 2024
Laying out his hopes to hold the role for another four years, Miyares noted public safety efforts he’s been involved in so far such as the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign raising awareness about fentanyl overdoses and his office’s involvement in “Ceasefire Virginia,” which combined prosecution and community efforts to prevent crime. Earlier this year, Miyares celebrated crime reductions associated with the initiative.
Miyares’ campaign launch comes roughly a week after Democratic candidate Jay Jones announced his latest bid for the position. Jones lost a Democratic primary to former Attorney General Mark Herring in 2021, who later went on to lose to Miyares later that year in the general election.
While Miyares is so far the only Republican candidate vying for the seat, Jones will face Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor in a primary. Miyares took aim at both on social media last week after Jones announced his bid.
“Both of the announced (democratic) candidates for Attorney General are far-left, anti-police, criminal rights progressives who will make Virginia less safe. They will support the same criminal first, victim last policies that lead to a surge in violent crime,” Miyares wrote.
He reiterated similar messaging in his re-election campaign launch video Monday, and said that in a second term he will continue to press for more tough-on-crime policies.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story that will be updated.