Petersburg councilor on independent bid for lieutenant governor: 'Best way forward'
PETERSBURG – Ward 1 Councilor Marlow Jones has his eye on Virginia's No. 2 political job.
On Wednesday, Jones announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor, joining an already crowded field on both sides of the aisle. A Republican, Jones told The Progress-Index he will run as an independent.
'I believe that if I am the deciding vote in the Senate, I should be nonpartisan,' Jones said, referring to the position's chief duties as presiding over the state Senate. In addition to presiding, the lieutenant governor has the ability to cast tie-breaking votes.
'I view this as the best way forward for the state,' Jones said.
It is his first bid for statewide office.
The announcement came as no surprise. Back in January, Jones posted on his Facebook page that he was exploring a run.
More: Former Chesterfield Sen. Amanda Chase explores second bid for Virginia's governorship
Jones' platform is his background as a business owner, civil service and community advocacy. He said in his announcement that he will 'bring transformative leadership to the commonwealth' with a focus on several areas – economic empowerment, educational advancement, healthcare access, environmental sustainability, community involvement, racial equity, homelessness and government transparency.
Two groups for whom Jones regularly advocates are Petersburg's youth and senior citizens.
'Virginia needs leadership that truly represents the people,' Jones said in the announcement. 'I've spent my life serving this community – from my time as a firefighter to my role on the Petersburg City Council. I understand the struggles our families face every day, and I'm ready to fight for solutions that lift everyone up.'
Jones has served on City Council for two years and is known for his tendency to engage Petersburg leadership – sometimes forcefully – during council meetings. He ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 2 seat, the last time coming up just a handful of votes short of getting elected.
In 2024, after being redistricted into Ward 1, he ran for and won the seat vacated by the retiring Treska Wilson-Smith.
More: 'Bold' to 'slash and burn': Virginia's congressional delegation reacts to Trump speech
Jones is currently the only announced independent candidate for Virginia lieutenant governor, but he is far from the only person who wants the job. Five Democrats and three Republicans have offered themselves up for the respective June 17 primaries.
On the Democratic side, there is former Richmond mayor Levar Stoney; state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi of Richmond and Aaron Rouse of Virginia Beach; northern Virginia attorney Alex Bastani; Prince William County School Board member Babur Lateef; and former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado of Arlington County.
Republicans seeking the nomination are defense consultant John Curran Jr. of James City County; Pat Herrity, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; and John Reid, a radio talk-show host on WRVA in Richmond.
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Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg councilor Marlow Jones wants to be lieutenant governor
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