VA Lt. Governor, Attorney General 2025 Primary Election Results: Democrats Choose Hashmi, Jones

Updated at 11 a.m. Wednesday

VIRGINIA — Ghazala Hashmi, a state senator, declared a win in the Democratic lieutenant governor primary election after a close race for the lead with Levar Stoney and Aaron Rouse. The Associated Press called the race for Hashmi at 10:58 a.m. Wednesday.

Hashmi has the chance of becoming Virginia's first South Asian and first Muslim elected official on the statewide level.

"We didn't just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won't be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington," Hashmi said in a statement. "I'm honored to stand alongside Abigail Spanberger, Jay Jones, and our Democratic ticket to fight for the future of this Commonwealth."

Rouse conceded the race and congratulated Hashmi.

"I stand ready to work alongside the entire statewide ticket and our House of Delegates candidates to win in November, defend Virginians from Trump’s attacks, and deliver on real progress for every corner of the Commonwealth," Rouse said in a statement.

In Tuesday's other statewide race, Jay Jones was the projected winner of the Democratic attorney general primary election over Shannon Taylor, the Associated Press said.

With 133 of 133 localities reporting vote tallies, Ghazala Hashmi had 27.48 percent of the votes, while Levar Stoney had 26.69 percent of the votes, and Aaron Rouse had 26.14 percent, according to the state election site. Babur Lateef received 8.43 percent of votes, and Alex Bastani received 5.7 percent.

Outstanding mailed ballots could extend the time needed to tally votes in the lieutenant governor’s race, The Washington Post reported.

The Democratic candidates were aligned on many, but not all, issues. According to the Washington Post, all six candidates would seek a repeal of Virginia's right-to-work law that bans mandatory union membership or paying dues for applicable employees.

According to WAMU, the candidates also support abortion rights, marriage equality, voting rights restorations to formerly incarcerated people and more gun control.

The candidates differ in the issue of allowing a voter referendum on putting a casino in Tysons. Bastani supports allowing localities to determine if they want casinos and Hashmi and Rouse have supported Tysons casino legislation as lawmakers. Lateef and Salgado are opposed to the casino legislation, while Stoney supports a casino in Northern Virginia but opposes the Tysons casino.

Attorney General Nominee Set

Jay Jones had 50.94 percent of votes, and Shannon Taylor has 49.06 percent, with 133 of 133 localities reporting votes — with Jones declared the winner. He will face Attorney General Jason Miyares, the incumbent Republican, in the November general election.

Jones said in a statement he was honored to accept the Democratic nomination.

"The most powerful corporations and special interests believe that Virginia's government should be beholden to them. They will spend more trying to beat us in November by funding Donald Trump's pro-bono attorney, Jason Miyares," Jones said. "And we ready for that fight because it's not their government, it's yours."

The Republican Attorney Generals Association issued a statement calling Jones a radical, leftist candidate who lacks experience.

"Jay is soft on crime, has called for ending cash bail, and even wants to remove School Resource Officers from Virginia schools," said RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper. "Jay Jones will undo everything AG Miyares has done to lower Virginia's crime rate."

Tuesday's statewide primary elections included Democratic races for lieutenant governor and attorney general. The governor's race is already set — Democrat former Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears will vie for the state's top job.

Current Gov. Glenn Youngkin cannot run in 2025, as Virginia governors cannot serve consecutive terms.

The lieutenant governor is the second in command to the governor and presides over the Virginia Senate. In cases of ties, the lieutenant governor can provide the tie-breaking vote.

Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor in the primary election are: former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, state Sen. Aaron Rouse, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and union leader and attorney Alexander Bastani.

The attorney general is Virginia's top prosecutor and legal counsel. The office leads or helps with criminal investigations, enforces consumer protections laws, provide legal advice to the governor, executive agencies, General Assembly members, state boards and commissions and higher education institutions, and other duties.

Attorney general candidates in the primary election are Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor and former Del. Jay Jones.

According to WAMU, both candidates have run ads sharing a desire to fight Trump administration actions in court. Taylor pointed to her work prosecuting a Ku Klux Klan member and 2017 Unite the Right attendee, while Jones touted representing the Virginia NAACP against the Youngkin administration on voting rights restoration and consumer protection cases as a staffer at the D.C. Office of the Attorney General.

Results will come in on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

SEE ALSO: Virginia Attorney General Race Questionnaire: Jay Jones

Republican nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general are set — John Reid and incumbent Jason Miyares, respectively.

Miyares, in his re-election bid, pointed to his work on prosecuting repeat offenders, opioid manufacturer settlements and more. Most recently, Miyares sought an investigation against Loudoun County Public Schools for its handling of a transgender bathroom Title IX investigation, and he referred the case to the federal government.

SEE ALSO: Virginia Lieutenant Governor Race Questionnaire: John Reid

In November, the Virginia governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general will be up for election, along with the 100 Virginia House of Delegates seats. Some localities will have local elections in addition to the statewide races. Virginia's gubernatorial elections happen the year after presidential elections, providing one of the earliest tests of voter sentiment of the president's performance. Virginia's 2025 election will be a test on President Trump's agenda in a state impacted by federal workforce reductions and ripple effect on federal contractors.

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