(The Center Square) – With the November 2024 general election in the rearview mirror, Virginia’s 2025 election cycle appears to be in full swing with Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin making key endorsements.
On the same day Attorney General Jason Miyares announced his reelection bid, Youngkin threw his support behind his “team,” including Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
The governor noted that he, Earle-Sears and Miyares ran as a team in 2021 and continue to collaborate on several critical issues impacting the commonwealth while advancing “conservative policies.”
Earle-Sears and Miyares, he said, “have been indispensable partners to advance our shared, commonsense conservative policies that have made Virginia the best state in America for business, backed the blue and cracked down on crime, stood strong for our military and veterans, and transformed education by raising teacher pay, reestablishing academic excellence, and empowering parents in their child’s education and life.”
Earle-Sears announced her candidacy to succeed Youngkin in September, hoping to make history as the nation’s first Black woman governor, and the first woman to lead the commonwealth.
Earle-Sears, a Marine veteran, has already made history in the commonwealth as the highest-serving woman to hold statewide office as lieutenant governor.
In Virginia, governors are prohibited from running for consecutive terms, paving the way for Earle-Sears to seek a promotion.
The governor applauded Earle-Sears’ commitment to serving as a voice for the military and veterans’ community while citing educational freedom — an issue that helped catapult the trio to victory.
“Winsome has been an outstanding lieutenant governor, and she will be a great governor,” Youngkin said. “She has been an outspoken advocate for commonsense conservative principles and policies, a passionate voice for our military and veterans, and a relentless advocate for educational freedom and economic opportunity.”
The governor commended Miyares for his work as the commonwealth’s top prosecutor, calling him an “exceptional attorney general.”
“As attorney general, Jason vigorously defends the laws of the commonwealth, stands with law enforcement every single day while leading our shared fight to end the free flow of opioids and fentanyl into our communities, and has been a constant advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence,” said Youngkin.
On the Democratic side, outgoing Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is running for governor.
There is a crowded field of Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, including state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William School Board Chairman Babur Lateef, state Sen. Aaron Rouse and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney.
Former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor will battle it out as the Democratic nominee for attorney general.
