For Immediate Release
November 12, 2024
Jay Jones Launches Campaign for Attorney General on a Promise to Fight for Virginia Families
“As Virginia’s Attorney General, My Highest Priority Will Always be the Safety and Freedom of Virginia Families.” – Jay Jones
Norfolk, VA — Today, former Delegate Jay Jones launched his campaign for Attorney General of Virginia on a promise to fight for Virginia’s families and take extreme politics out of the Attorney General’s office.
“Today, with hope for a brighter future for our Commonwealth and our nation, I am proud to announce my campaign for Attorney General of Virginia,” said Jay Jones. “As Virginia’s Attorney General, my highest priority will always be the safety and freedom of Virginia families.
“As your Attorney General, I will protect Virginia families, our children, and the most vulnerable. We’ll crack down on those who would do our kids harm by working with law enforcement to get illegal guns off our streets, shut down drug traffickers, and hold to account gun manufacturers whose weapons of war are used to commit mass shootings and crimes.
“I’ll take on the social media companies fueling a mental health crisis among young people and corporations that pollute our air and water. I’ll crack down on price-gougers, predatory lenders, and corporate landlords that break the law and make life unaffordable for the middle class.
“The incoming Trump administration threatens families with higher health care costs, higher prices, and hazards to our health. And President-elect Trump will find an eager accomplice in Virginia Attorney General Miyares. Jason Miyares has used his office to advance his own radical, ideological agenda, not protect Virginians. If the Trump administration again tries to raise health care costs by taking apart the Affordable Care Act, I’ll be the first to take them to court to stop it. And I will always fight back against any attempt to undermine abortion rights in Virginia.”
For more information about Jay Jones and his campaign for Attorney General, visit www.jayjones.com.
About Jay Jones
Jay Jones is running for Attorney General to protect Virginia families — from crime and violence, corporate price gouging, and politicians with extreme agendas. Because Jay knows that our freedoms have always depended on people willing to fight for them.
As a member of the House of Delegates, Jay fought to expand Medicaid, increase the minimum wage, and give teachers annual pay raises. Jay was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates three times, representing the 89th District in Norfolk. In Richmond, he 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,” establishing a missing persons alert for adults in the Commonwealth. The “Ashanti Alert” is now used nationwide.
Jay previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where he was a member of the Office of Consumer Protection. In this role he took on gun manufacturers, financial institutions, and housing conglomerates to vindicate the rights of everyday citizens.
Today, Jay is an attorney at Hogan Lovells, where he focuses his practice on state Attorneys General work as well as regulatory and policy matters, including environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues. An accomplished litigator, Jay led the fight on behalf of the Virginia NAACP against the Youngkin Administration to protect voting rights. Jay has also advocated tirelessly for reproductive healthcare access and abortion rights as a member of the Virginia Planned Parenthood board.
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 a retired 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 every family — no matter who you are or where you come from.
Jay completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary, and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia. Jay, his wife Mavis, and two sons live in Norfolk, where they are members of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
###