VIRGINIA 2025 CANDIDATES
Find out more about the Democratic candidates for Governor, Lt Governor,
Attorney General, and 36th District Delegate
GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA
Abigail D Spanberger
Democratic Candidate
abigailspanberger.com
ABIGAIL’S VALUES:
Abigail began her career of public service as a federal law enforcement officer — working money laundering cases and tracking narcotics traffickers with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Abigail then joined the CIA as a case officer. She worked undercover her entire time at the Agency — collecting intelligence, managing assets, and overseeing high-profile programs to combat terrorism and keep Americans safe.
In 2014, Abigail brought her family back home to Virginia — where she and her husband grew up — and soon began a career in the private sector. But when she saw division and dysfunction threatening the country she dedicated her life to defend, Abigail decided to run for Congress.
In 2018, Abigail became the first Democrat since 1968 — as well as the first woman ever — to be elected to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House.
In Congress, Abigail developed a reputation for finding common ground, getting things done, and never backing down from her principles.
Abigail grew up in Henrico County, Virginia. She attended J.R. Tucker High School’s Spanish immersion program and is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia.
After college, Abigail moved to Germany and earned her MBA from a dual-degree German-American program between the GISMA business school and Purdue University.
Abigail and her husband Adam are the proud parents of three school-aged daughters.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA
Ghazala Hashmi
Democratic Candidate
ghazalaforvirginia.com
Senator Ghazala Hashmi is the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to serve in the Virginia Senate. As an experienced educator and advocate of inclusive values and social justice, her legislative priorities include public education, voting rights and the preservation of democracy, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, the environment, housing, and affordable healthcare access.
As a four year old, Ghazala emigrated with her mother and older brother from India to the United States where they joined her father in Georgia just as he was completing his PhD in international relations and beginning his university teaching career. Ghazala grew up in that small college town, at a time when public schools were being desegregated, and so she saw firsthand how communities can be built and dialogue promoted through intentional efforts to bridge cultural, racial, and socioeconomic divides. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class and receiving multiple full scholarships and fellowships, Ghazala earned a BA with honors from Georgia Southern University and her PhD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.
Ghazala and her husband, Azhar, moved as newlyweds to the Richmond area in 1991, and she spent nearly 30 years as a professor, first teaching at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College. While at Reynolds, she also served as the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). She and Azhar have two adult daughters who both graduated from Chesterfield County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.
First elected to office in November 2019, Ghazala won an upset victory over a Republican incumbent, delivering the majority to Democrats for the first time in years and shocking the political establishment. In 2024, because of the confidence her Democratic colleagues have in her, she was named Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, a crucial leadership post for two critical Democratic priorities, reproductive freedom and public education.
As a state Senator, Ghazala has dedicated her efforts to improving the lives of others, focusing on issues of inequity in housing, education, health care, environmental justice, and much more.
VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL
Jay Jones
Democratic Candidate
www.jayjones.com
Jay Jones is a former Assistant Attorney General and lawmaker, a husband, and a dad to two boys running for Attorney General to fight for Virginia families and stand up to Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, Jay’s call to public service was generations in the making.
Jay Jones is running for Attorney General to protect Virginia families — from crime and violence, corporate price gouging, and politicians with extreme agendas attacking our rights and Virginia workers. Because Jay knows that our democracy has always depended on people willing to fight for it.
As a member of the House of Delegates, Jay protected abortion rights, expanded Medicaid, and gave teachers annual pay raises. In Richmond, he championed energy and environmental policies that lowered Virginians’ energy bills and protected our air, water, and land. A tireless legislator, Jay also wrote 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 the gun lobby to keep families safe from violent crime, sued corporate special interests to prevent higher grocery prices, and went after big banks and slumlords preying on consumers.
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 person to be named to the board in the history of Virginia.
Jay’s father, Jerrauld C. Jones, was 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 was 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 prosecutor and attorney in private practice.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Ghazala F. Hashmi
Potential Candidate
https://ghazalaforvirginia.com/
GHAZALA’S VALUES
Senator Ghazala Hashmi is the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to serve in the Virginia Senate. As an experienced educator and advocate of inclusive values and social justice, her legislative priorities include public education, voting rights and the preservation of democracy, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, the environment, housing, and affordable healthcare access.
As a four year old, Ghazala emigrated with her mother and older brother from India to the United States where they joined her father in Georgia just as he was completing his PhD in international relations and beginning his university teaching career. Ghazala grew up in that small college town, at a time when public schools were being desegregated, and so she saw firsthand how communities can be built and dialogue promoted through intentional efforts to bridge cultural, racial, and socioeconomic divides. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class and receiving multiple full scholarships and fellowships, Ghazala earned a BA with honors from Georgia Southern University and her PhD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.Ghazala and her husband, Azhar, moved as newlyweds to the Richmond area in 1991, and she spent nearly 30 years as a professor, first teaching at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College. While at Reynolds, she also served as the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). She and Azhar have two adult daughters who both graduated from Chesterfield County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.
First elected to office in November 2019, Ghazala won an upset victory over a Republican incumbent, delivering the majority to Democrats for the first time in years and shocking the political establishment. In 2024, because of the confidence her Democratic colleagues have in her, she was named Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, a crucial leadership post for two critical Democratic priorities, reproductive freedom and public education.
As a state Senator, Ghazala has dedicated her efforts to improving the lives of others, focusing on issues of inequity in housing, education, health care, environmental justice, and much more.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Jay Jones
Potential Candidate
https://jayjones.com/
JAY’S VALUES
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.
VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES - 36TH DISTRICT
Makayla Renee Venable
Democratic Candidate
www.venable4va.com
Makayla Venable is a lifelong Shenandoah Valley native and a proud working-class activist. As a former healthcare provider, she has stood by people through some of the most pivotal moments in their lives—celebrating the joy of new life, grieving unthinkable losses, and supporting them as they faced deeply personal decisions. These experiences have shaped her commitment to advocating for those who are often overlooked by the system.
Last year, Makayla worked to get out the vote for Kamala Harris, connecting with young voters across the community. The conversations she had with them about their hopes, frustrations, and dreams fueled her decision to run for Virginia’s 36th House of Delegates seat. She is running because she believes our voices matter, and we deserve a representative who understands the struggles of everyday people and is ready to fight for the change we need.
MISSION STATEMENT: Equality Meets Opportunity
"A strong democracy is built on the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and respect for human rights. Every citizen must have an equal voice in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.
My commitment to democracy means upholding the rule of law, ensuring transparency, and fostering an environment where diverse perspectives can thrive. It is only through collective action, active engagement, and respect for each individual's rights that we can create a just and equitable society for all."