Jason Miyares (R) defeated incumbent Mark Herring (D) in the election for attorney general of Virginia. Herring was first elected in 2013. The last attorney general of Virginia to win a third consecutive term was Abram Penn Staples (D) in 1945.
Miyares’ victory makes him the first Republican elected attorney general since Ken Cuccinelli’s victory in 2009. His win, along with Glenn Youngkin’s (R) victory in the gubernatorial election, broke Virginia’s Democratic triplex and created a Republican triplex. A political party has triplex control in a state when it holds the offices of governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. Virginia’s secretary of state is appointed by the governor.
Miyares has served as a member of Virginia’s House of Delegates since 2016. He highlighted his experience as a prosecutor while campaigning. He also completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, writing that he “believes that we should be funding the police, instead of defunding them, and be giving them the tools they need to succeed.” Miyares added that “[h]e will protect qualified immunity and make sure that law enforcement officers who risk their lives everyday to protect our communities know that they are supported.” Read his full survey responses here.
Additional reading: