RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Democratic mayor of Richmond Levar Stoney announced Tuesday that he is dropping his bid for governor of Virginia in 2025 and will instead run for lieutenant governor.
“After careful consultation with my family, I believe the best way to ensure that all Virginia families get the change they deserve is for our party to come together, avoid a costly and damaging primary, and for me to run for Lt. governor. ,” Stoney said in a statement.
When Stoney entered the gubernatorial race in December, it set up a Democratic nominating contest with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer who has cultivated an identity as a bipartisan consensus builder during three terms in Congress.
After growing up in a working-poor family, Stoney said he got into public service and the governor’s race to ensure families like him had a fair chance at success. As he spent the past few weeks with his wife and their new daughter, he said he thought about the future he wanted for his daughter and all Virginia families.
Stoney said it wasn’t an easy decision. There was a path to victory in the governor’s race, but he said it was narrow and he believed running for lieutenant governor was the right path for him, his family, the Democratic party and Virginia’s future.
“As LG, I believe I can be an effective advocate for Virginia families to ensure that everyone in our state indeed has a fair opportunity for success. Given everything at stake in the next governor’s race — from reproductive rights to education funding and tax justice — I believe this is a time when Democrats must stand united and avoid an ugly gubernatorial primary.
No Republicans have yet announced campaigns for governor, although Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are seen as likely contenders. Under state law, Virginia’s Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, cannot seek a second consecutive term.
Virginia State Senator. Aaron Rouse also announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor Tuesday morning. The retired NFL player and former Virginia Beach councilman said Democrats should regain control of statewide offices in 2025.
“I’ve built my career on winning in tough places when it matters – whether it’s under the bright lights of the NFL or flipping the Senate seat needed to ensure we can overcome the onslaught of blocking Republicans on reproductive freedom and voting rights,” Rouse said.
