He’s here to make a change!
Delegate Jay Jones is running to become Virginia’s first Black attorney general, Charlottesville Tomorrow reports.
Jones has been serving for some years, representing Norfolk in the General Assembly. He got his start as a lawyer in New York after graduating from the College of William & Mary and the University of Virginia. His family’s legacy of public service inspired him to return to Norfolk and make a difference in his community.
Jones’ grandfather was a civil rights attorney and the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. His father also served in the General Assembly, and both of Jones’ parents are currently judges in the city. Now he’s carving out his own piece of history as the first Black attorney general of Virginia.
“Virginia is experiencing a lot of change, and I think politics is about timing. We have an opportunity to elect the state’s first Black attorney general to be the face of the system that has oppressed Black people for years,” Jones said.
If elected, Jones has big plans to collaborate with other legislators to reform policies, specifically regarding election integrity, consumer protections, expanding Medicaid, and putting an end to qualified immunity for law enforcement officers and an end to solitary confinement in prisons.
“You are the state’s justice system, for better or worse, and I think it’s incumbent upon whoever holds [the attorney general] seat to use that platform to continue to beat that drum in that particular area. We are due for a hard look at rewriting our code where a lot of it is rooted in Jim Crow,” said Jones.
The Norfolk native also wants to make sure he creates satellite offices across the state to ensure his office reaches local constituents and expands access for rural communities.
“Just because I’m a Democrat doesn’t mean that I only represent the Democratic constituents here in Virginia; I’ve got to represent everybody…Most folks don’t know what our office does and what it can do for them. This is a chance to meet people where they are, roll up our sleeves and understand what’s important to people in their communities and how we can deploy resources,” he said.
Jones already has the backing of many House members and is excited to continue building rapport and discussing his legislative agenda.
We’re rooting for you, Jay!
Photo Courtesy of Del. Jay Jones/Charlottesville Tomorrow