Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)

Elections in Virginia, 2021

* Primary date: 6/8/2021
* Primary type: Open
* Registration deadline(s): 5/17/2021
* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No

* Early voting starts: 4/24/2021 - 6/5/2021
* Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): 6/8/2021 (Postmarked)
* Voter ID: Non-photo ID
* Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: Governor • Attorney General • State House •

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<- 2017

Virginia Attorney General

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 25, 2021
Convention: May 8, 2021
Primary: June 8, 2021
General: November 2, 2021

* * *

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Mark Herring (D)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Virginia
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Virginia
executive elections
Governor

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Attorney general

Incumbent Mark Herring (D) defeated Jerrauld “Jay” Jones (D) in the June 8, 2021, Democratic primary for Virginia attorney general. As of 8:50 p.m. EST, Herring had received 55.4% of the vote to Jones' 44.6% with 89.4% of precincts reporting. The general election was November 2, 2021.

Herring had served as Virginia’s attorney general since 2014. Jones had served in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2018. Jones received endorsements from Governor Ralph Northam (D), former Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry (D), who was the last attorney general to serve two consecutive terms in Virginia before Herring, and two Democratic members of Congress. Herring was endorsed by Reps. Gerry Connolly (D) and Don Beyer (D) and Brady PAC.

In interviews with WAVY.com, the candidates outlined what they believed to be the most important legal issue facing Virginians and their campaign priorities. Jones said the most important legal issue was “the way that our justice system is skewed against people of color and those with lesser economic means.” When asked about his campaign priorities, he said he would work to strengthen civil rights and equal treatment by the criminal justice system, support environmental protection, and expand access to the attorney general’s office by opening satellite offices across the state.[1]

Herring said the most important legal issue facing Virginians was “the alarming increase in white nationalism and white supremacy in our country.” When asked about his campaign priorities, he said he would implement changes to policing and oppose racial discrimination, support worker’s rights, and increase health and safety by, for example, regulating firearm purchases.[2]

Herring defeated Justin Fairfax (D) in the 2013 attorney general primary 51.7% to 48.3%. In the 2017 primary Herring ran unopposed. He went on to win the general election against John Adams (R) 53.3% to 46.6%. Ken Cuccinelli (R), elected in 2009, was the last Republican to hold the office.[3] A Virginia attorney general has not served three consecutive terms since 1945 when Abram Penn Staples (D) was elected for the third time.[4]

The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government. The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly and other government officials.

This page focuses on Virginia's Democratic attorney general primary. For more in-depth information on Virginia's Republican attorney general convention and the general election, see the following pages:

* Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)
* Virginia Attorney General election, 2021

This election is a battleground race. Other 2021 battlegrounds include:

* Mayoral election in New York, New York (June 22, 2021, Democratic primary)
* Mayoral election in Omaha, Nebraska (2021)
* Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

|

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 2.1 Mark Herring
* 2.2 Jerrauld Jones
* 3 Noteworthy primary endorsements
* 4 Timeline
* 4.1 2021
* 4.1.1 June
* 4.1.2 May
* 4.1.3 April
* 4.1.4 March
* 5 Campaign themes
* 5.1 Mark Herring
* 5.1.1 Campaign website
* 5.2 Jerrauld Jones
* 5.2.1 Campaign website
* 6 Campaign ads
* 6.1 Mark Herring
* 6.2 Jerrauld Jones
* 7 Polls
* 8 Campaign finance
* 9 Debates and forums
* 9.1 Virginia Democrats Tri-Caucus forum (May 27, 2021)
* 9.2 WTVR TV debate (May 15, 2021)
* 9.3 7News debate (May 4, 2021)
* 9.3.1 Debate coverage
* 9.4 Virginia Board of People with Disabilities and The Arc of Northern Virginia candidate forum (April 29, 2021)
* 9.5 Virginia Young Democrats candidate forum (April 8, 2021)
* 9.6 Virginia People's Debates candidate forum (March 2, 2021)
* 10 About the office
* 10.1 Authority
* 10.2 Duties
* 11 Primaries in Virginia
* 12 Election history
* 12.1 2017
* 12.2 2013
* 12.3 Full history
* 13 State profile
* 13.1 Presidential voting pattern
* 13.1.1 Pivot Counties (2016)
* 13.1.2 Pivot Counties (2020)
* 14 See also
* 15 External links
* 16 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Mark Herring |

56.6

| 274,736

| Jerrauld Jones |

43.4

| 210,365

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 485,101

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

## Candidate profiles[edit]

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[5] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

### Mark Herring[edit]

Mark Herring

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office:

* Virginia Attorney General (Assumed office: 2014)
* Virginia State Senate (2006-2014)

Biography: Herring received a bachelor’s degree in economics and foreign affairs and a master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. He received a law degree from the University of Richmond. Before entering politics, he worked at Herring &amp; Turner, P.C. as an attorney.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

Herring said he worked to oppose discrimination in Virginia’s legal system by implementing internal investigations of unconstitutional actions by police. He said he would work to legalize marijuana and make record expungement more accessible for marijuana-related offenses.

* * *

Herring criticized Miyares, saying he would implement policies that undermined public safety and civil rights and that he was overly politically partisan.

* * *

Herring highlighted his record as Virginia's attorney general. He said he participated in cases opposing Donald Trump’s (R) immigration policies in the Middle East, supporting same-sex marriage, and supporting the Affordable Care Act.

* * *

Sources: Mark Herring's campaign website, "Priorities," accessed April 9, 2021; Facebook, "WTKR News 3 on June 15, 2021," accessed June 22, 2021; WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Mark Herring (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021; LinkedIn, "Mark Herring," accessed April 9, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

### Jerrauld Jones[edit]

Jerrauld Jones

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

* Virginia House of Delegates (Assumed office: 2018)

Biography: Jones received a bachelor’s degree in history and government from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He worked in finance before receiving his law degree, and at the time of the election was a practicing attorney at Bischoff Martingayle.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

Jones said an individual’s race and economic status could negatively affect his or her treatment by the criminal justice system. He said legacies of discriminatory laws existed in Virginia’s legal code, and he would work to eliminate them.

* * *

Jones said he would work to protect the environment. He said he would work to mitigate flooding and the effects of climate change and protect air and water from pollution.

* * *

Jones said he would open up satellite attorney general offices across the state. He said this would help the attorney general’s office understand the experiences people are facing in the state and address consumer protection issues.

* * *

Jones called for the creation of a Civil Rights Division within the Virginia attorney general's office. After Herring created one in February 2021, Jones said he wanted to ensure the division was working in the interest of Virginians.

* * *

Sources: WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Jay Jones (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021; Virginia General Assembly, "Delegate Jerrauld C. (Jay) Jones," accessed April 9, 2021; Jerrauld Jones' campaign website, "Meet Jay Jones," accessed April 9, 2021; WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Jay Jones (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

## Noteworthy primary endorsements[edit]

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic primary endorsements

Endorsement  |  Herring |  Jones
Newspapers and editorials
The Washington Post[6] | ✔ |
Elected officials
Rep. Don Beyer (D)[7] | ✔ |
Sen. Cory Booker (D)[8] |  | ✔
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D)[9] | ✔ |
Rep. Elaine Luria (D)[8] |  | ✔
Gov. Ralph Northam (D)[10] |  | ✔
Rep. Bobby Scott (D)[11] |  | ✔
Individuals
Former Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry (D)[12] |  | ✔
Organizations
American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees[13] | ✔ |
American Muslim Women PAC[14] | ✔ |
Brady PAC[15] | ✔ |
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence[16] | ✔ |
The Collective PAC[17] |  | ✔
Democracy for America[18] |  | ✔
Emgage PAC[14] | ✔ |
Giffords[19] | ✔ |
Human Society Legislative Fund[20] | ✔ |
International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers[13] | ✔ |

## Timeline[edit]

### 2021[edit]

* June 2021 (click to collapse)

#### June[edit]

* June 4, 2021: A Roanoke College poll was released, showing Herring at 50%, Jones at 20%, and 30% undecided/other.[21]
* June 1, 2021: The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the Virginia Department of Elections.

* May 2021 (click to expand)

#### May[edit]

* May 27, 2021: Herring and Jones participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (DLOV), Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia (DAAV), and the Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia (DBCV).[22]
* May 24, 2021: Herring was endorsed by The Washington Post.[6]
* May 20, 2021: Herring was endorsed by the Humane Society Legislative Fund.[20]
* May 15, 2021: Herring and Jones participated in a debate hosted by WTVR TV.[23]
* May 12, 2021: Jones was endorsed by Rep. Bobby Scott (D).[11]
* May 4, 2021: Herring and Jones participated in a debate hosted by 7News.[24]

* April 2021 (click to expand)

#### April[edit]

* April 29, 2021: Herring and Jones participated in a candidate forum co-hosted by the Virginia Board of People with Disabilities and The Arc of Northern Virginia.[25]
* April 21, 2021: Christopher Newport University released a poll showing Herring at 42%, Jones at 18%, and 34% undecided.[26]
* April 20, 2021: Herring was endorsed by the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART).[13]
* April 19, 2021: Herring was endorsed by Brady PAC and Giffords.[15][19]
* April 16, 2021: Herring was endorsed by Emgage PAC and American Muslim Women PAC.[14]
* April 15, 2021: The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the Virginia Department of Elections.
* April 8, 2021: Herring and Jones participated in a candidate forum hosted by Virginia Young Democrats.[27]
* April 5, 2021: Herring was endorsed by the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.[16]

* March 2021 (click to expand)

#### March[edit]

* March 4, 2021: Jones was endorsed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D).[10]

## Campaign themes[edit]

See also: Campaign themes

###  Mark Herring[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

Herring’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

* Building Safer, Stronger Communities For All Virginians

Attorney General Mark R. Herring is working every day to promote safe, successful communities in every corner of the Commonwealth, where justice, equality, and opportunity are guaranteed for all Virginians. He has advocated for substantial reforms to address disparities and inequities throughout the criminal justice system including cash bail reform, expanding opportunities for record expungement, growing Virginia’s reentry programs, and ensuring accountability and transparency in policing. He has also become the leader on marijuana reform in Virginia by calling for decriminalization, which passed during the 2020 legislative session, and continuing the fight for full legalization.

Attorney General Herring has brought together law enforcement, community leaders, the faith community, and others to find common ground, identify solutions, and ensure the safety of our communities and the equal and fair treatment of all our citizens. He and his team led an ambitious 21st century policing training initiative that helped hundreds of officers receive training on critical skills like implicit bias control, de-escalation, and crisis intervention training. He has also advocated for policing reforms that will reduce brutality and abuses of power by law enforcement, increase transparency, accountability, justice, and equality. These include enabling the Attorney General to conduct “patterns or practice” investigations; making it easier to remove bad officers from the law enforcement profession; creating a “duty to intervene” for law enforcement officers; modernizing, standardizing, and elevating the rigor of police training; among others.

Attorney General Herring is leading the way in transforming how Virginia works to prevent and responds to sexual and domestic violence. He eliminated Virginia’s backlog of 2,665 untested rape kits, as part of a $3.4 million project, that resulted in 851 new profiles added to the national DNA database, 354 “hits” sent back to localities for review, and at least 2 charges, with more anticipated. He chaired Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence, which helped make Virginia a national leader on the issue. He has helped implement Lethality Assessment Protocol, an innovative tool to prevent domestic violence and homicide, in dozens of communities around the Commonwealth.

Attorney General Herring has been recognized as one of Virginia’s foremost authorities in responding to the heroin and opioid crisis that continues to affect so many families in Virginia and around the country. He has relentlessly pursued a comprehensive strategy that emphasizes education, prevention, and treatment alongside enforcement and cracking down on dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He has also gone after opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in creating and prolonging the opioid crisis by putting profits over human lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets.

Even in the NRA’s home state, Attorney General Herring has stood up to the gun lobby and has defended Virginia’s new gun safety measures in court, like the proven-effective one-handgun-a-month law and Virginia’s expanded background checks. He has built a record of achievement in reducing gun violence, prosecuting more than 100 cases involving illegal guns and gun violence. He has also led effective projects to reduce gun violence using public health and violence interruption models.

* Combating the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic

Attorney General Herring has been recognized as one of Virginia’s foremost authorities in responding to the heroin and opioid crisis that is touching so many families in Virginia and around the country. Because he understands that we can’t just arrest our way out of this problem, he has relentlessly pursued a comprehensive strategy that emphasizes education, prevention, and treatment alongside enforcement against dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction.

Attorney General Herring launched an unprecedented five-point plan to address the crisis which includes legislation, education, prevention, enforcement, and collaboration. He was recognized with the “Bronze Key Award” from the McShin Foundation for his commitment and effectiveness in addressing substance abuse.

Attorney General Herring and his team have been relentless in cracking down on the dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets.

Because education and prevention are key to solving the problem, Attorney General Herring created “Heroin: The Hardest Hit,” an award-winning documentary and a companion website www.HardestHitVA.com which serves as a one-stop shop for education and prevention materials. The film is now mandatory viewing in health education classes around the state, and the office is even educating middle schoolers on the dangers of heroin and prescription drug abuse.

The General Assembly passed two lifesaving pieces of legislation brought forward by Attorney General Herring, one to make Naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal drug, available without a prescription and available to all law enforcement officers and first responders, and one to create the state’s first “Good Samaritan” safe reporting law to encourage people in the presence of an overdose to call 911. Those two measures have saved thousands of lives since their enactment. This year, he helped expand Naloxone access to community organizations and nonprofits.

Attorney General Herring secured the donation of more than 80,000 drug disposal kits to get unused prescriptions out of medicine cabinets before they can be abused. He has partnered with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District to create the Hampton Roads Heroin Work Group, and he and his team are active members of multiple heroin task forces around the state.

* Keeping Our Children Safe

Attorney General Mark R. Herring recognizes that nothing is more important than the safety of our children. That’s why he has made Virginia a national leader in the use of innovative technology to protect children and catch perpetrators, and led a bipartisan effort to expand the reach of Virginia’s efforts. He and his team have helped put hundreds of child predators behind bars through aggressive prosecutions and digital forensics work.

Attorney General Herring and his team have worked more than 250 cases against child predators, secured jail sentences of more than 500 years, and examined more than 2,000 computers, phones, and other devices in 400 different cases. He made the services of the office more readily available and accessible to state and local law enforcement agencies and invested in a mobile computer forensics lab so technicians can analyze child pornography at the scene of the crime.

Attorney General Herring’s Office has invested in cutting edge technology that makes it easier for investigators to identify child victims and rescue them from dangerous situations. Virginia is one of only about 5 states to utilize this powerful technology, which has led to additional arrests, more than 4,000 pieces of evidence, more than 1,000 tips, and more than 200 active investigations.

Attorney General Herring has partnered with South Dakota Republican Attorney General Marty Jackley to launch the bipartisan Campaign for Child Rescue, a joint effort by child welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies, and the high-tech sector to promote new technology to make investigations easier, to build stronger cases, and to identify and rescue children from dangerous situations.

Attorney General Herring and his team have been integral to high-profile child pornography and child exploitation prosecutions including a cross-country child sex ring, a former youth hockey coach in Northern Virginia, and a former school teacher in the Richmond area.

* Reducing Gun Violence

Attorney General Herring has stood up to the gun lobby and a legislature that is beholden to it. He has built a record of combating gun violence and has taken strong stands in favor of common sense gun safety measures.

Attorney General Herring has assembled a team of prosecutors to crack down on felons with firearms and gun runners. He and his team prosecuted more than 100 gun crimes, including violent crimes, in both state and federal court.

Attorney General Herring has formed strong working relationships with law enforcement partners, especially in Washington, DC and Maryland, as well as building relationships with local, state, federal, and interstate law enforcement partners.

To address domestic homicide using a gun, Attorney General Herring has built a comprehensive program for training law enforcement and members of Virginia communities in the use of Lethality Assessment Protocol to save lives.

To crack down on gun running out of Virginia, he has fought for the reinstatement of Virginia’s “one handgun a month” law and mandatory background checks on all gun sales including those at gun shows.

Attorney General Herring has worked with the Virginia faith community to demand gun manufacturers implement gun safety technology and joined with the Attorneys General of Washington D.C. and Maryland to write a letter to those manufacturers requesting information on their safety measures.

* Protecting Our Environment

Attorney General Mark R. Herring has fought for clean air and water, open spaces, clean energy, and to hold polluters accountable. He has been a consistent voice for progress in developing clean energy and addressing climate change because of Virginia’s unique vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise.

In 2016, Attorney General Herring secured the largest environmental damages settlement in Virginia history. He has also brought successful enforcement actions against polluters who damage Virginia waterways.

He has made Virginia the first Chesapeake Bay state to successfully defend the Bay cleanup plan in court against a legal attack by out-of-state special interests and attorneys general from states as far away as Alaska.

As part of the “Green 20,” Attorney General Herring is working with a group of his fellow attorneys general who have committed to address climate change, protect progress made in recent years, and promote cleaner energy. Attorney General Herring is defending President Obama’s Clean Power Plan in court because it is an ambitious, achievable, and lawful roadmap for enjoying the health, environmental, and economic benefits of cleaner air. He has opposed the Trump Administration’s attempts to withdraw the Clean Power Plan and kill pending litigation regarding its lawfulness.

In official opinions, Attorney General Herring has clarified and confirmed the ability of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and the authority of local governments to regulate “fracking.” Working with then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Herring has helped grow solar, wind, and renewable energy sectors in Virginia, including new solar projects that will power state government facilities.

Attorney General Herring fought in court to defend Virginia’s conservation easement tax credit program, and spoke out strongly in opposition to President Trump’s proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and Chesapeake Bay Program.

* Defending Women’s Rights

Attorney General Mark R. Herring has been an unwavering advocate for Virginia women on issues of economic fairness, reproductive justice, and more. Along with Governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, he has been a brick wall against Republican attacks on a woman’s reproductive freedom, and has fought in court to defend a woman’s access to comprehensive healthcare services including abortion and birth control. In his own office, he has taken unprecedented steps to elevate women in leadership positions, build an inclusive workforce, and promote pay equity.

Attorney General Herring reversed dangerous and incorrect legal advice from his predecessor that had closed at least one women’s health clinic and threatened the closure of more through medically unnecessary and intentionally burdensome regulations. Because of his correct legal advice in what the Washington Post called “a watertight official legal opinion,” the Virginia Board of Health protected women’s health clinics from expensive and medically unnecessary retrofits that would have closed many Virginia clinics that offer abortion services.

Attorney General Herring successfully fought alongside his colleagues in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt to strike down Texas’s onerous, medically unnecessary targeted regulations of abortion providers (TRAP).

He also led a multi state coalition defending access to healthcare on the Affordable Care Act exchanges.

* Fighting for Justice and Equality for all Virginians

Promoting Diversity
Attorney General Mark R. Herring believes our Commonwealth’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths. He has had a front row seat as his home county of Loudoun has transformed itself and become more economically dynamic as it became more diverse and welcoming. He understands that immigration has been a source of economic and cultural benefit for Virginia for more than 400 years and is working each and every day to make sure that new Virginians are welcome here.

Attorney General Herring has been an outspoken advocate for minority communities, launching www.NoHateVA.com as a resource and seeking additional tools to protect those who are vulnerable from hate crimes and to hold perpetrators accountable.

Attorney General Herring was a national leader in fighting former President Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim ban, successfully arguing that the ban was unconstitutional and based on religious bigotry and winning the nation’s first preliminary injunction against the ban.

In 2014, Attorney General Herring determined that Virginia DREAMers who were protected by DACA could qualify for in-state tuition and pursue an affordable education in their home state. Since then, hundreds of Virginia students have been able to pursue an affordable education in their home state.

Attorney General Herring is working to strengthen the relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, especially in communities of color, by providing additional training on 21st century policing skills like implicit bias, helping departments recruit more diverse officers, and encouraging positive interactions between officers and young people.

And he has worked to build a world class team of lawyers that reflects the diversity of the people they serve, including appointing the first African-American woman to serve as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia.

Fighting For Equality
Just 12 days into his term, Attorney General Mark R. Herring took the historic step of joining the fight for marriage equality, winning at the district court and appeals court before the United States Supreme Court let the decision stand, bringing marriage equality to the Commonwealth within 10 months of his taking office. Attorney General Herring is the first state attorney general to successfully argue that his state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples should be struck down as unconstitutional.

Attorney General Herring wrote an official advisory opinion that said Virginia public schools can protect LGBT students, teachers, and employees from bullying, discrimination, and harassment. He also ended a policy of the previous administration that barred Virginia colleges and universities from establishing LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies.

Attorney General Herring proposed and fought for an updated definition of “hate crime” to include LGBT Virginians, and for additional tools to prosecute suspected hate crimes. He signed an amicus brief in support of transgender students being able to receive an education in a comfortable environment. And he worked with then-Governor Terry McAuliffe to craft an Executive Order barring state contracts to companies who do not have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies, mirroring President Obama’s federal executive order.

* Promoting Economic Opportunity

Attorney General Mark R. Herring is a pro-business, pro-opportunity attorney general, working everyday to make sure Virginia remains the best state in America to live, work, learn, and raise a family, or to start and grow a business. His background in the private sector, as both a small business owner and an attorney serving Northern Virginia’s business and professional communities, gives him a unique perspective on how to help Virginia businesses thrive.

Attorney General Herring is helping to build safe, successful communities in every corner of the Commonwealth. He is spearheading the state’s response to the heroin and opioid crisis, combatting gun and gang violence, and transforming the way Virginia works to prevent and respond to sexual and domestic violence.

In an increasingly global economy, Attorney General Herring is working to create a Commonwealth where businesses, entrepreneurs, and talented workers from around the world feel welcome to start, grow, or work at a Virginia business. He has championed common sense immigration reforms, given the children of immigrants who have only called Virginia home an opportunity to pursue an affordable college education in Virginia, and sought new tools and resources to combat hate crimes.

Attorney General Herring and his team have worked on legislation to help Virginia prepare for the growing “sharing economy,” and to combat “patent trolls” that force Virginia businesses into expensive litigation over bad-faith claims of patent infringement. [28]

|  ”

|
|

—Mark Herring’s campaign website (2021)[29]

###  Jerrauld Jones[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

Jones' campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Jay Jones was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017 representing the 89th District. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, Jay’s call to public service was generations in the making.

The descendant of slaves, Jay’s family has been in Norfolk since the early 20th century. His grandfather, Hilary H. Jones, Sr., was a pioneering Civil Rights attorney in Norfolk and became the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. In 1969, he was appointed to the State Board of Education, the first Black to be named to the board in the history of Virginia.

Jay’s father, Jerrauld C. Jones, is one of the few Virginians to serve in all three branches of state government. He was a member of the General Assembly from 1988 – 2002, served as Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice under Governor Mark Warner and is now a Circuit Court judge. His mother, Lyn Simmons, is currently a judge on the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court after a long career as a violent crime prosecutor and attorney in private practice.

Like his forebears before him, Jay is dedicated to ensuring his community and commonwealth embraces everyone, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you look like.

As a member of the House of Delegates, Jay fought to expand Medicaid, increase minimum wage, and give teachers a raise. He also gave voice to progressive energy and environmental policies that improve the lives of all Virginians while preserving our air, water, and land. A tireless legislator, Jay championed legislation known as the “Ashanti Alert,” a bill to establish a missing persons alert for adults in the Commonwealth. The “Ashanti Alert” was used as the model for a bill that eventually became federal law. He has also sponsored legislation to deconcentrate poverty in urban communities, achieve a fair regulatory scheme for our public utilities, and create an earned income tax credit in Virginia.

Jay currently serves on the House Appropriations, Transportation, and Counties, Cities, and Towns committees, having previously served on the General Laws and Finance committees. He is the chairman of the House Transportation subcommittee on Motor Vehicles. Jay also serves on the Commission on Youth, the Criminal Justice Services Board, and the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.

Jay completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary, where he was a double major in government and history. Jay worked in finance in New York before returning to the Commonwealth to obtain his law degree at the University of Virginia.

Jay currently practices law in Norfolk, where he is a partner with Bischoff Martingayle P.C.

Jay and his wife Mavis reside in the Larchmont neighborhood of Norfolk. They are members of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. [28]

|  ”

|
|

—Jerrauld Jones' campaign website (2021)[30]

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

###  Mark Herring[edit]

Supporting Herring

"So Ambitious" - Herring campaign ad, released June 3, 2021

"Positive Difference" - Herring campaign ad, released June 3, 2021

"Why I Do It" - Herring campaign ad, released May 17, 2021

"Illuminated" - Herring campaign ad, released March 9, 2021

"Walk The Walk" - Herring campaign ad, released March 2, 2021

"Shannon Taylor Endorses Mark Herring for Attorney General" - Herring campaign ad, released January 18, 2021

"I'm running for re-election" - Herring campaign ad, released December 16, 2020

* "Simply The Best" - Herring campaign ad, released February 17, 2021

###  Jerrauld Jones[edit]

Supporting Jones

"Forward" - Jones campaign ad, released April 30, 2020

"Firsts" - Jones campaign ad, released April 21, 2020

"Lead" - Jones campaign ad, released April 21, 2020

"A New Generation of Leadership" - Jones campaign ad, released May 13, 2020

"Generations in the Making" - Jones campaign ad, released July 13, 2020

"Creating a Civil Rights Division" - Jones campaign ad, released December 9, 2020

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Virginia attorney general eleciton, 2021: Democratic primary election polls

Poll  |  Date  |  Herring  |  Jones  |  Undecided/Other  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
Roanoke College[21] |  May 24-June 1, 2021  |  50%  |  20%  |  30%[31] |  ± 3.9  |  637  |  \--
Christopher Newport University[26] |  April 11-20, 2021  |  42%  |  18%  |  39%[32] |  ± 3.9  |  806  |  \--
Christopher Newport University[33][34] |  Jan. 31 - Feb. 14, 2021  |  42%  |  3%  |  55%[35] |  ± 4.9  |  488  |  \--

## Campaign finance[edit]

The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. Learn more about this data here.

## Debates and forums[edit]

### Virginia Democrats Tri-Caucus forum (May 27, 2021)[edit]

* Click here to view footage of the candidate forum.

### WTVR TV debate (May 15, 2021)[edit]

* Click here to view the debate.

### 7News debate (May 4, 2021)[edit]

* Click here to view the debate.

#### Debate coverage[edit]

* Click here to read coverage of the debate from WTOP.
* Click here to read coverage of the debate from WRIC.
* Click here to read coverage of the debate from The Washington Post.

### Virginia Board of People with Disabilities and The Arc of Northern Virginia candidate forum (April 29, 2021)[edit]

"Meet the Candidates Forum: Virginia Attorney General" - Virginia Board of People with Disabilities and The Arc of Northern Virginia candidate forum candidate forum, April 29, 2021

### Virginia Young Democrats candidate forum (April 8, 2021)[edit]

* Click here to view a video of the forum.

### Virginia People's Debates candidate forum (March 2, 2021)[edit]

"Virginia People's Debate - Attorney General Forum" - Virginia People's Debates candidate forum, March 2, 2021

## About the office[edit]

See also:Attorney General of Virginia

The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government. The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly and other government officials.

### Authority[edit]

The office of attorney general is established in Article 5, Section 16 of the Virginia Constitution.

Article X, Section Y:

An Attorney General shall be elected by the qualified voters of the Commonwealth at the same time and for the same term as the Governor; and the fact of his election shall be ascertained in the same manner...

### Duties[edit]

The duties and powers of the office of the attorney general include:[36]

“  |

* Provide legal advice and representation to the governor and executive agencies, state boards and commissions and institutions of higher education. The advice commonly includes help with personnel issues, contracts, purchasing, regulatory and real estate matters and the review of proposed legislation. The office also represents those agencies in court.
* Provide written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the general assembly and government officials.
* Defend criminal convictions on appeal and defend the state when prisoners sue concerning their incarceration.
* Defend the constitutionality of state laws when they are challenged in court.
* Enforce state laws that protect businesses and consumers when there are violations. Individual consumer complaints are usually handled by another agency.
* Represent consumers in utility matters before the Virginia Corporation Commission.
* Collect debts owed to state agencies, hospitals and universities.
* Conduct or assist criminal investigations and prosecutions in certain limited cases (for example Medicaid fraud, money laundering, theft of state property, environmental crimes and computer crimes).
* Represent the Virginia Department of Social Services in its efforts to collect child support on behalf of children and families.
* Supervise the appointment and payment of private attorneys hired by other state agencies for various matters.
* Assist victims of crime who are following criminal cases at the appellate level.
* Provide information to the public on identity theft prevention and remediation.
* Administer grants to help reduce crimes involving gangs, drugs and sex predators.
* Administer the Virginia Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Program to protect children from the most dangerous predators.[28]

|  ”

|
|

A complete list of the duties of the office is outlined in the Virginia state code.[37]

## Primaries in Virginia[edit]

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Virginia utilizes an open primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[38][39][40][41]

## Election history[edit]

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2001.

### 2017[edit]

See also: Virginia attorney general election, 2017
Incumbent Mark Herring (D) defeated John Adams (R) in the election for Attorney General of Virginia.[42] Virginia Attorney General Election, 2017

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Mark Herring Incumbent | 53.39% | 1,385,389
| Republican  | John Adams | 46.61% | 1,209,339
Total Votes | 2,594,728
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

### 2013[edit]

On November 5, 2013, Mark Herring won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia. He defeated Mark Obenshain (R) in the general election.

Attorney General of Virginia, 2013

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Mark Herring | 50% | 1,105,045
| Republican  |  Mark Obenshain  | 50% | 1,104,138
Total Votes | 2,209,183
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

### Full history[edit]

To view the electoral history dating back to 2001 for the office of Attorney General of Virginia, Click [show] to expand the section.

|

2009

On November 3, 2009, Ken T. Cuccinelli II won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia. He defeated Stephen C. Shannon (D) in the general election.

| Attorney General of Virginia, 2009

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Ken T. Cuccinelli II | 57.5% | 1,124,137
| Democratic  |  Stephen C. Shannon  | 42.4% | 828,687
| Write-In |  Various | 0.1% | 1,772
Total Votes | 1,954,596
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

2005

On November 8, 2005, Robert F. McDonnell won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia. He defeated R. Creigh Deeds (D) in the general election.

Attorney General of Virginia, 2005

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Robert F. McDonnell | 50% | 970,886
| Democratic  |  R. Creigh Deeds | 49.9% | 970,563
| Write-In |  Various | 0.1% | 1,801
Total Votes | 1,943,250
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

2001

On November 6, 2001, Jerry W. Kilgore won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia. He defeated A.D. McEachin (D) in the general election.

Attorney General of Virginia, 2001

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Jerry W. Kilgore | 60% | 1,107,068
| Democratic  |  A.D. McEachin  | 39.9% | 736,431
| Write-In |  Various | 0.1% | 1,282
Total Votes | 1,844,781
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

## State profile[edit]

Demographic data for Virginia

| Virginia| U.S.
Total population:| 8,367,587| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 39,490| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 69%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 19.2%| 12.6%
Asian:| 6%| 5.1%
Native American:| 0.3%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 3.2%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 8.6%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 88.3%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 36.3%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $65,015| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 13%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Virginia.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

### Presidential voting pattern[edit]

See also: Presidential voting trends in Virginia

Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate in four out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

#### Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Virginia, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[43]

#### Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Virginia had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Virginia coverage on Ballotpedia

* Elections in Virginia
* United States congressional delegations from Virginia
* Public policy in Virginia
* Influencers in Virginia
* Virginia fact checks
* More...

## See also[edit]

Virginia | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis

|
|

Virginia State Executive Offices Virginia State Legislature Virginia Courts |  2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 Virginia elections: 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 |  Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors

## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

|

* Search Google News for this topic
* Virginia Attorney General official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Jay Jones (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021
2. ↑ WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Mark Herring (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021
3. ↑ The Virginia Public Access Project, "Attorney General," accessed April 9, 2021
4. ↑ LoudounNow, "Randall Backs Herring Re-election Bid," March 17, 2021
5. ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Washington Post, "Opinion: The Post’s endorsements in Virginia’s Democratic primary," May 24, 2021
7. ↑ Facebook, "Mark Herring on February 17, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jerrauld Jones on July 14, 2020," accessed April 9, 2021
9. ↑ Facebook, "Mark Herring on January 29, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Facebook, "Jerrauld Jones on March 4, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 13 News Now, "Rep. Bobby Scott endorses Del. Jay Jones for Virginia Attorney General," May 12, 2021
12. ↑ Twitter, "Jerrauld Jones on March 2, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Mark Herring's campaign website, "LABOR UNIONS AFSCME, SMART, UFCW LOCAL 400, AND SEIU 32BJ ENDORSE ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK HERRING FOR RE-ELECTION," April 20, 2021
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Augusta Free Press, "Emgage PAC, American Muslim Women PAC endorse Mark Herring in AG race," April 16, 2021
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Augusta Free Press, "‘Elections matter’: Why Brady PAC is backing Mark Herring in the AG primary," April 20, 2021
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Facebook, "Mark Herring on April 5, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
17. ↑ Facebook, "Jerrauld Jones on February 5, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
18. ↑ Facebook, "Jerrauld Jones on February 9, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Giffords, "Giffords Endorses Mark Herring for Reelection in Virginia," April 19, 2021
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Twitter, "Blue Virginia on May 20, 2021," accessed May 20, 2021
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Roanoke College, "Roanoke College Poll -- Virginia Democratic Primary," June 4, 2021
22. ↑ Facebook, "Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia on May 27, 2021," accessed May 28, 2021
23. ↑ Facebook, "Democratic Party of Virginia on May 15, 2021," accessed May 18, 2021
24. ↑ WJLA, "WATCH: Your Voice. Your Future. | Virginia Democratic Attorney General debate," May 4, 2021
25. ↑ YouTube, "Meet the Candidates Forum: Virginia Attorney General," April 30, 2021
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Christopher Newport University, "2021 Virginia Democratic Primary Report," April 21, 2021
27. ↑ Facebook, "Attorney General Candidates," April 8, 2021
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
29. ↑ Mark Herring’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed April 6, 2021
30. ↑ Jerrauld Jones' campaign website, “Meet Jay Jones,” accessed April 5, 2021
31. ↑ Undecided: 28%
Don't know/refused: 1%
Someone else: 1%
32. ↑ Undecided: 34%
Don't know/refused: 5%
Someone else: 1%
33. ↑ Christopher Newport University, "Virginia Primaries - February 2021," Feb. 19, 2021
34. ↑ Margin of error and sample size for the Democratic attorney general primary question was provided via email correspondence with Dr. Quentin Kidd on April 2, 2021
35. ↑ Undecided: 50%
Don't know/refused: 5%
36. ↑ Virginia Attorney General, "Responsibilities," accessed January 11, 2021
37. ↑ Office of the Virginia Attorney General, "Duties ascribed in the Code of Virginia, 7/1/2011," accessed January 11, 2021
38. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
39. ↑ FairVote,"Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
40. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
41. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections,"Casting a Ballot," accessed October 25, 2019
42. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "List of Statewide Candidates," October 17, 2017
43. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.

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