Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor announced Wednesday she will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general, emphasizing her track record as a prosecutor in what is likely to be a competitive primary contest for the job now held by Republican Jason S. Miyares.
Virginia
Shannon Taylor, top Henrico prosecutor, launches Dem. bid for Virginia AG
“When it comes to protecting women’s rights and our children or standing up against hate, those aren’t just my positions,” she said. “I’ve actually taken on either cases or actions to demonstrate my commitment to those Democratic values.”
Taylor is the first candidate from either party to formally announce a bid for attorney general, one of three statewide offices in Virginia that will be on the ballot next year.
Former state delegate Jay Jones, a Norfolk trial attorney who lost the Democrats’ 2021 primary for attorney general, is widely expected to run for the position again in 2025 — with the backing of former governors Ralph Northam and Terry McAuliffe.
On the Republican side, Miyares has not yet announced whether he will run for reelection as attorney general or if he plans to seek the Republican nomination for governor, as some expect. (Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is term-limited from running again for the job.)
Taylor, 56, is a lifelong Virginia resident who served as a prosecutor in Richmond, oversaw a regional grand jury and worked as criminal defense lawyer before running for her current post, becoming the first Democrat in years to win countywide in Henrico — a once-conservative area closely associated with former House Republican leader Eric Cantor.
She said that as commonwealth’s attorney, she hired more women and people of color to serve as prosecutors and ran her office through the lens of “compassionate accountability,” putting a greater focus on mental health and substance use issues.
“I do call myself a ‘progressive prosecutor,’” she said. “‘Progressive’ is to do things differently. That is exactly what I brought to that office and what I would continue to do if given the opportunity to move forward in a new role.”
But she said she did not hesitate to fight acts of hate, prosecuting a self-identified Ku Klux Klan leader who drove a truck through a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters and then pushing state lawmakers to strengthen related hate crime legislation.
She has also been involved in a string of high-profile cases, recently serving as special prosecutor in Virginia’s case against one man who was accused of using a flaming torch during the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville to intimidate counterprotesters. The jury failed to reach a verdict in the case — the first test of a new state law meant to ban Ku Klux Klan cross-burnings — though it is expected to return to court this summer for additional proceedings.
Taylor has also previously said she is conducting a probe related to the 2023 death of Irvo Otieno, a Black man in mental distress who was asphyxiated in a Richmond-area hospital while being restrained by three workers and seven sheriff’s deputies.
The case is being prosecuted in nearby Dinwiddie County, where that incident occurred, but Otieno was brought to that facility from a Henrico hospital and then the county jail. The sheriff’s deputies who restrained him for 11 minutes, according to surveillance video, are all from Henrico.
Taylor also pointed to her experience in several statewide efforts, including as past president of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys and on a working group that reviews legislation for the Virginia State Senate’s Courts of Justice Committee.
4 things to know about the weather:
- A much more comfortable day is ahead with highs only in the lower to middle 80s across the DMV.
- Most of the day will be dry, but a few spotty showers or thunderstorms could pop up during the afternoon.
- Humidity will be a tad lower than recent days thanks to an easterly breeze and slightly drier air moving into the region.
- Monday looks even better with comfortable temperatures, lower humidity before hotter weather returns later in the week.
A welcome change is finally settling into the DMV. Sunday won’t be perfect with some clouds around and the chance for some showers, but most areas should stay dry. Cooler temps than we’ve been used to lately, with afternoon highs staying in the 80s.
Great days to start the week as Monday and Tuesday are shaping up to be comfortably warm with noticeably lower humidity (thank goodness) bonus days for summer. Enjoy it while it lasts because heat and humidity arrive by Wednesday with temperatures climbing back into the 90s and continuing to build late in the week.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
QuickCast
SUNDAY
Mostly cloudy with a few showers and thunderstorms
Brief downpours remain possible, especially during the afternoon
Humid, but noticeably cooler
Wind: East to northeast 5–10 mph
Chance of rain: 20-30%
Highs: 84°–89°
SUNDAY NIGHT
Mostly cloudy with a few lingering showers
Mild and muggy
Light winds
Lows: 71°–74°
MONDAY
Humidity levels lower than the past several days
Cooler than average for mid-July
Sun & Clouds; looks dry
Highs: 82°–86°
TUESDAY
Sun and clouds and the humidity stays in check
Close to normal temps
Highs in the upper 80s to around 90°
WEDNESDAY
Mostly Sunny & HOT!
More humid with Heat Index 100+
Highs in the upper 90s
THURSDAY
Staying HOT!
Humidity sticks around and the Heat Index stays above 100
Isolated afternoon thunderstorms possible might cool it off a bit late day
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
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MIDDLEBURG, Va. – Vice President J.D. Vance is eyeing a multimillion-dollar estate in Middleburg, Virginia, to serve as a part-time home for his family, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.
The second family is leasing two of the four properties at Wolver Hill Farm, a sprawling, nearly 500-acre estate situated about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Washington, D.C.
What we know:
The historic property was acquired five years ago for nearly $9 million by Chuck Kuhn, the owner of J.K. Moving.
According to Michael Neibauer with the Washington Business Journal, there are four homes on the 500-acre property which backs up to the Salamander Middleburg Resort and Spa.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if the Vance family maybe takes advantage of some of those spa facilities that are celebrated out there,” Neibauer added.
Requests for comment regarding the lease agreements were sent to Kuhn’s company, which has not yet responded.
The potential move comes at a busy time for the Vances, as Second Lady Usha Vance is currently expecting the couple’s fourth child.
The news has quickly traveled through the heart of Middleburg, a historic town known for its vibrant strip of mom-and-pop shops and popular resorts along East Washington Street.
What they’re saying:
Business owners along the main thoroughfare were universally aware of their potential new neighbor, though several declined to talk on camera.
The reaction to the Vice President’s potential arrival has been mixed.
“Well, I figure J.D. is going to—the vice president, excuse me— is going to want to play some golf, and I’m a member of Creighton Farms. So, Mr. Vice President, if you’re watching, you’re always welcome on my tee time,” Upperville resident Luke Mahoney said.
When asked if he has concerns about having a potential Secret Service presence in the community, Mahoney said, “No, it can’t be worse than the people that drive 35 miles an hour on Route 50 during commute times. I think they’re very professional; they do a great job. I’m not really that worried about it.”
The Source: This information is from the Washington Business Journal and FOX5 DC reporting.
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