Jerrauld Jones
Jerrauld Jones (Democratic Party) is running for election for Attorney General of Virginia. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on June 17, 2025.[source]
Jones (Democratic Party) (also known as Jay) was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 89. He assumed office on January 10, 2018. He left office on December 31, 2021.
Biography
Jones received bachelor's degrees in history and government from the College of William and Mary. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia. His professional experience includes working in risk management and ratings at Goldman Sachs and as an attorney in Norfolk. He has served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020-2021
Jones was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Jones was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2025
See also: Virginia Attorney General election, 2025
General election
The primary will occur on June 17, 2025. The general election will occur on November 4, 2025. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia
Jerrauld Jones and Shannon Taylor are running in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia on June 17, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Jerrauld Jones | ||
| Shannon Taylor | ||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Virginia
Incumbent Jason Miyares is running in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Virginia on June 17, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Jason Miyares | ||
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Endorsements
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2021
Attorney general
See also: Virginia Attorney General election, 2021
Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)
Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)
General election
General election for Attorney General of Virginia
Jason Miyares defeated incumbent Mark Herring in the general election for Attorney General of Virginia on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Miyares (R) | 50.4 | 1,647,534 | |
| Mark Herring (D) | 49.6 | 1,621,227 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,996 | ||
| Total votes: 3,271,757 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia
Incumbent Mark Herring defeated Jerrauld Jones in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia on June 8, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mark Herring | 56.6 | 274,736 | |
| Jerrauld Jones | 43.4 | 210,365 | ||
| Total votes: 485,101 | ||||
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Republican convention
Republican Convention for Attorney General of Virginia
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Jason Miyares in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
| Total votes: 12,553 |
||||
State House
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2021
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 89
Incumbent Jerrauld Jones defeated Hahns Copeland in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 89 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jerrauld Jones (D) | 79.9 | 17,450 | |
| Hahns Copeland (R) | 19.9 | 4,340 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 63 | ||
| Total votes: 21,853 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 89
Incumbent Jerrauld Jones defeated Hannah Kinder in the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 89 on June 8, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jerrauld Jones | 78.6 | 5,113 | |
| Hannah Kinder | 21.4 | 1,392 | ||
| Total votes: 6,505 | ||||
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Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Hahns Copeland advanced from the Republican primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 89.
Campaign finance
2019
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2019
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 89
Incumbent Jerrauld Jones won election in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 89 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jerrauld Jones (D) | 96.2 | 14,398 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.8 | 572 | ||
| Total votes: 14,970 | ||||
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2017
General election
Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2017. All 100 house seats were up for election. The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017.[2] Jerrauld Jones (D) defeated Terry Hurst (Libertarian) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 89 general election.[3]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 89 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jerrauld Jones |
84.89% | 16,541 | |
| Libertarian | Terry Hurst | 15.11% | 2,944 | |
| Total Votes | 19,485 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Democratic primary election
Jerrauld Jones defeated Joe Dillard in the Virginia House of Delegates District 89 Democratic primary.[4]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 89 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Jerrauld Jones |
66.19% | 5,242 |
| Joe Dillard | 33.81% | 2,678 |
| Total Votes | 7,920 | |
Republican primary election
No Republican candidate filed to run for this seat. [5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 89 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
Endorsements
In 2017, Jones' endorsements included the following:
- People for the American Way[6]
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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You can ask Jerrauld Jones to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing jay@jayjones.com.
2021
Jerrauld Jones did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
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. [7] |
” |
| —Jerrauld Jones' campaign website (2021)[8] | ||
2019
Jerrauld Jones did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Ballotpedia candidate survey
Jones participated in a survey created by Ballotpedia. The survey was designed to let our readers know more about the candidates and feel confident that they are voting for the best person to represent them. The survey questions appear bolded, and Jones' responses follow below.
| “ | Reforming Virginia's criminal justice system is incredibly important to me. Virginia must reassess its current criminal code, including raising the larceny threshold and its sentencing guidelines. We spend an incredible amount of money incarcerating citizens when we should prioritize rehabilitation and alternative courts, including drug, mental health, and veteran programs that keep citizens out of prisons. We must also change our system so that felons who have paid their debt to society have their voting rights restored automatically. Virginia is one of ten states where this process is not automatic, and we are well aware that it disproportionately affects the black community more than others. Restoring voting rights will be a major step in the right direction for Virginia.[7] | ” |
| —Jerrauld Jones | ||
| “ | As a resident of Hampton Roads, we deal with transportation issues each and every day. It is imperative that we expand the capacity on our roadways and embrace alternative forms of transportation, including high speed rail and light rail. I support a dedicated source of funding for mass transit in Virginia. We must embrace an all-of-the-above approach to transportation in order to make ourselves viable and appealing for families and businesses alike.[7] | ” |
| —Jerrauld Jones | ||
| “ | Virginia has one of the strongest higher education systems in the United States. I am a proud graduate of two of those institutions, and will support all efforts to increase accessibility and affordability for those students who wish to pursue a college degree. The state must also invest in technical and vocational training for students at the high school level, and create access to apprenticeship programs in relevant areas. A strong higher education system prepares students for good paying jobs in Virginia and positions our Commonwealth as an attractive place for families and businesses to make their home.[7] | ” |
| —Jerrauld Jones | ||
| “ | We have work to do in our K-12 system. I support the expansion of access to pre-K for all students at no cost, because an early investment in children puts them on a path to success. We must also pay our teachers more. Virginia currently ranks 34th in average teacher salary nationwide. Competitive teacher salaries will attract talented educators who will then invest in our children. Virginia must also reassess its testing system and standards. As the needs of our economy and workforce change, we must focus on preparing our students to be dynamic, creative thinkers in areas like STEM-H and information and data technology in addition to the traditionally accepted subjects. As delegate, I will work to make our K-12 system one of the strongest in the country because our children deserve a quality education.[7] | ” |
| —Jerrauld Jones | ||
| “ | Virginia must change the way it draws lines for congressional and state legislative districts. Voters should choose their representatives instead of representatives choosing their voters. I support the creation of an independent commission to draw district lines that will use both human and technological input to make the districts fair and competitive. If a commission cannot be agreed upon, I would urge Virginia to look to retired judges to draw the lines. Judges are objective actors and the courts have intervened in this issue on several occasions before. Any solution that removes the power from the legislature will be well received and a strong step in the right direction for Virginia.[7] | ” |
| —Jerrauld Jones | ||
Candidate website
Jones' campaign website highlighted the following issues:
| “ | Jobs As your delegate, I will support policies that seek to expand our economy and diversify the workforce. Specifically, I will work to help make Norfolk the premier destination in our region for entrepreneurs to jumpstart their small businesses and contribute to the continued growth and economic diversification of our region. Education We need to ensure that our children have access to the strongest educational curriculum possible so they may become the innovators and producers of our Commonwealth. Companies continue to examine the strength of a workforce by the strength of the educational opportunities available to them. Criminal Justice Reform Embedded in my ideas for a successful community that thrives economically well into the future is a belief in a justice system that is fair and equal to all citizens. As an attorney, I know that Virginia is long overdue to reassess the community-wide effects of a number of its criminal procedures. Environment As a coastal city, Norfolk cannot ignore sea level rise. For our investments in job creation, education, and transportation to be sustainable for future generations, we must tackle the growing regional threat of climate change. Transportation Our region’s diverse transportation network must be a top priority in the General Assembly to support continued economic growth. As the economic driver of the Hampton Roads region, the Commonwealth should invest in a variety of transportation options, including roads, trains, and transit, to service the needs of Norfolk citizens and businesses.[7] |
” |
| —Jerrauld Jones, [9] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021
In 2021, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 to February 8.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills the organization chose to evaluate.
- Legislators are scored based on their voting record on reproductive issues.
- Legislators are scored based on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored by the Family Foundation on their votes on bills related to "principles of life, marriage, parental authority, constitutional government and religious liberty."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the Second Amendment.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 12. A special session was held from August 18 to November 9.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 through February 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 10 through March 10. Special sessions were held from April 11 to May 30 and from August 30 to October 30.
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See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Jay Jones for Delegate, "About Jay," accessed May 15, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Candidacy Requirements for the November 7, 2017 General Election," accessed March 21, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 November General Unofficial Results," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Democratic Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Republican Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ People for the American Way, "Next Up Victory Fund Endorses in Virginia," August 29, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Jerrauld Jones' campaign website, “Meet Jay Jones,” accessed April 5, 2021
- ↑ Jay Jones for Delegate, "Issues," accessed May 15, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Virginia House of Delegates District 89 2018–2021 |
Succeeded by Jackie Glass (D) |
| |||||||||||||||||
