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Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Virginia primary election 2025: Time, how to vote, who's on the ballot and more
Voters in Virginia are all set to cast their ballots in the US state's primary election on Tuesday, June 17. This determines party nominees across multiple offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, state attorney general, and the House of Delegates. This is the first time that two women, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger, are pitted against each other for the top office of the state. Both candidates are running unopposed for the parties' nominations for governor. They will not be appearing on the ballot on Tuesday. Voting for the primary election in Virginia is taking place today (June 17). Residents can check for the sample primary ballot for their respective counties here. Virginia and New Jersey are the only US states conducting statewide races, including for the governor's post. Eligible voters will cast their ballots from 6 am to 7 pm on Election Day, while those in line at the closing time will be allowed to vote. People are advised to bring along an acceptable form of identification. In total, six candidates are eying the nomination for the lieutenant governor post from the Democratic Party. These include: 1. Alex Bastani 2. State Senator Ghazala Hashmi 3. Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef 4. State Senator Aaron Rouse 5. Former prosecutor Victor Salgado 6. Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney The winner faces Republican John Reid in the November 2025 election. Jay Jones and Shannon Taylor are contesting in the primary for Virginia Attorney General. The winner takes on Republican Jason Miyares in READ: Trump mixes India-Pak conflict with Iran-Israel hostilities: 'They will make a deal' Register to Vote/Update Registration - October 14, 2025 Early in-person voting - From September 9 to November 1 Apply for a ballot to be mailed to you - Through October 24, 2025 Register to vote or update an existing registration - Till October 14, 2025. Voters will cast their ballots to decide party nominees for the posts of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and House of Delegates. Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger are expected to contest for the post. Polling takes place between 6 am and 7 pm.
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Virginia Democrats set to pick nominees in closely watched 2025 primaries, key details here
Virginia Democrats are set on Tuesday to pick their nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, rounding out the statewide ticket and setting the stage for a bellwether election later this year. Most of the nominees slated to be at the top of the November ticket have already been picked, and Republicans aren't even having a statewide primary. In the race for governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, whose candidacy thwarted prospective primary challengers, will go up against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears — the only Republican who qualified for the ballot. Republicans have also solidified nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general. Virginia is one of two states that host statewide elections the year after a presidential election — New Jersey is the other — and the races are typically seen as referendums on the party in power before Congress heads into midterm elections. Analysts will be looking for clues in both states about voter sentiment with President Donald Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans controlling power in Washington. Democrats' hold on Virginia has slipped in recent years, moving it close to swing-state status nationally. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin beat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021. And although Democrats narrowly gained back complete control of the legislature in a 2023 election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia last year by less than six points, compared to former President Joe Biden's 10-point lead in 2020. Still, Democrats have history on their side: The party of the sitting president typically suffers defeat in Virginia's statewide races. And considering Trump has never won the state, Democrats are probably better positioned to make gains once their ticket solidifies. The six Democrats vying to be Virginia's next lieutenant governor aren't all that different on the issues: They support rights to abortion, a living wage, affordable housing and accessible health care. They also share similar criticisms of Trump. The candidates notably fracture along regional lines, and distinctions emerge in what they have emphasized in stump speeches along the campaign trail. Former Richmond City Mayor Levar Stoney has touted his ties to the Democratic Party and experience working under former Govs. Mark Warner and Terry McAuliffe. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed his campaign in June. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is also from the Richmond area, representing part of the city and suburbs. Hashmi has pushed reproductive health in her bid and has been endorsed by abortion rights political action committees. Virginia Sen. Aaron Rouse, from Virginia Beach with ties to southwest Virginia, has also highlighted his legislative accomplishments. Prince William County School Board Chair Barbur Lateef, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado and retired U.S. Department of Labor worker Alex Bastani are from northern Virginia. Lateef, an eye surgeon, has honed in on education and health care. Salgado has stressed the importance of strengthening democracy, and Bastani has emphasized labor rights. Former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor are seeking to be the next attorney general. Jones, who once represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates, comes from a long line of Hampton Roads politicians. His father was also a delegate, and his grandfather was the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. Jones previously ran for attorney general in 2021 but lost the primary to Democratic incumbent Mark Herring. Taylor has served more than a decade as the top prosecutor in the suburbs outside Richmond after flipping the open seat in 2011. Notable cases include when she was appointed special prosecutor in the case of the torch-carrying mob in the fatal 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist riot. She took one of the torch carriers to trial, records show, but the case was dismissed after a hung verdict. Only one Republican candidate in each statewide contest is advancing to the ballot. Earle-Sears became the gubernatorial nominee after Republicans Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with Trump. Conservative talk-radio host John Reid became the de facto nominee for lieutenant governor after his primary opponent left the race, and despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot on the ballot after announcing his reelection bid. All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are up for election in November, and some nomination contests are taking place in Virginia's more competitive districts. Democrats May Nivar and Andrew Schear are racing to take on Republican incumbent Del. David Owen in a Richmond-area district that House liberals are vying to flip. Three Democrats are running to battle Republican Del. Carrie Coyner in a Petersburg-area district. Two Republicans and two Democrats will have separate primaries to fill a competitive seat in the Chesapeake area, which opened after Republican Rep. Baxter Ennis announced his retirement.
17-06-2025
- Politics
Virginia Democrats set to pick nominees in closely watched 2025 primaries
RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Democrats are set on Tuesday to pick their nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, rounding out the statewide ticket and setting the stage for a bellwether election later this year. Most of the nominees slated to be at the top of the November ticket have already been picked, and Republicans aren't even having a statewide primary. In the race for governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, whose candidacy thwarted prospective primary challengers, will go up against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears — the only Republican who qualified for the ballot. Republicans have also solidified nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general. Virginia is one of two states that host statewide elections the year after a presidential election — New Jersey is the other — and the races are typically seen as referendums on the party in power before Congress heads into midterm elections. Analysts will be looking for clues in both states about voter sentiment with President Donald Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans controlling power in Washington. Democrats' hold on Virginia has slipped in recent years, moving it close to swing-state status nationally. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin beat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021. And although Democrats narrowly gained back complete control of the legislature in a 2023 election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia last year by less than six points, compared to former President Joe Biden's 10-point lead in 2020. Still, Democrats have history on their side: The party of the sitting president typically suffers defeat in Virginia's statewide races. And considering Trump has never won the state, Democrats are probably better positioned to make gains once their ticket solidifies. The six Democrats vying to be Virginia's next lieutenant governor aren't all that different on the issues: They support rights to abortion, a living wage, affordable housing and accessible health care. They also share similar criticisms of Trump. The candidates notably fracture along regional lines, and distinctions emerge in what they have emphasized in stump speeches along the campaign trail. Former Richmond City Mayor Levar Stoney has touted his ties to the Democratic Party and experience working under former Govs. Mark Warner and Terry McAuliffe. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed his campaign in June. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is also from the Richmond area, representing part of the city and suburbs. Hashmi has pushed reproductive health in her bid and has been endorsed by abortion rights political action committees. Virginia Sen. Aaron Rouse, from Virginia Beach with ties to southwest Virginia, has also highlighted his legislative accomplishments. Prince William County School Board Chair Barbur Lateef, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado and retired U.S. Department of Labor worker Alex Bastani are from northern Virginia. Lateef, an eye surgeon, has honed in on education and health care. Salgado has stressed the importance of strengthening democracy, and Bastani has emphasized labor rights. Former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor are seeking to be the next attorney general. Jones, who once represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates, comes from a long line of Hampton Roads politicians. His father was also a delegate, and his grandfather was the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. Jones previously ran for attorney general in 2021 but lost the primary to Democratic incumbent Mark Herring. Taylor has served more than a decade as the top prosecutor in the suburbs outside Richmond after flipping the open seat in 2011. Notable cases include when she was appointed special prosecutor in the case of the torch-carrying mob in the fatal 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist riot. She took one of the torch carriers to trial, records show, but the case was dismissed after a hung verdict. Only one Republican candidate in each statewide contest is advancing to the ballot. Earle-Sears became the gubernatorial nominee after Republicans Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with Trump. Conservative talk-radio host John Reid became the de facto nominee for lieutenant governor after his primary opponent left the race, and despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot on the ballot after announcing his reelection bid. All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are up for election in November, and some nomination contests are taking place in Virginia's more competitive districts. Democrats May Nivar and Andrew Schear are racing to take on Republican incumbent Del. David Owen in a Richmond-area district that House liberals are vying to flip. Three Democrats are running to battle Republican Del. Carrie Coyner in a Petersburg-area district. Two Republicans and two Democrats will have separate primaries to fill a competitive seat in the Chesapeake area, which opened after Republican Rep. Baxter Ennis announced his retirement. ___
Boston Globe
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Virginia Democrats set to pick nominees in closely watched 2025 primaries
Virginia is one of two states that host statewide elections the year after a presidential election — New Jersey is the other — and the races are typically seen as referendums on the party in power before Congress heads into midterm elections. Advertisement Analysts will be looking for clues in both states about voter sentiment with President Donald Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans controlling power in Washington. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Democrats' hold on Virginia has slipped in recent years, moving it close to swing-state status nationally. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin beat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021. And although Democrats narrowly gained back complete control of the legislature in a 2023 election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia last year by less than six points, compared to former President Joe Biden's 10-point lead in 2020. Still, Democrats have history on their side: The party of the sitting president typically suffers defeat in Virginia's statewide races. And considering Trump has never won the state, Democrats are probably better positioned to make gains once their ticket solidifies. Advertisement Six Democrats seeking to be lieutenant governor The six Democrats vying to be Virginia's next lieutenant governor aren't all that different on the issues: They support rights to abortion, a living wage, affordable housing and accessible health care. They also share similar criticisms of Trump. The candidates notably fracture along regional lines, and distinctions emerge in what they have emphasized in stump speeches along the campaign trail. Former Richmond City Mayor Levar Stoney has touted his ties to the Democratic Party and experience working under former Govs. Mark Warner and Terry McAuliffe. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed his campaign in June. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is also from the Richmond area, representing part of the city and suburbs. Hashmi has pushed reproductive health in her bid and has been endorsed by abortion rights political action committees. Virginia Sen. Aaron Rouse, from Virginia Beach with ties to southwest Virginia, has also highlighted his legislative accomplishments. Prince William County School Board Chair Barbur Lateef, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado and retired U.S. Department of Labor worker Alex Bastani are from northern Virginia. Lateef, an eye surgeon, has honed in on education and health care. Salgado has stressed the importance of strengthening democracy, and Bastani has emphasized labor rights. County prosecutor vs. former delegate in race for attorney general Former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor are seeking to be the next attorney general. Jones, who once represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates, comes from a long line of Hampton Roads politicians. His father was also a delegate, and his grandfather was the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. Jones previously ran for attorney general in 2021 but lost the primary to Democratic incumbent Mark Herring. Advertisement Taylor has served more than a decade as the top prosecutor in the suburbs outside Richmond after flipping the open seat in 2011. Notable cases include when she was appointed special prosecutor in the case of the torch-carrying mob in the fatal 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist riot. She took one of the torch carriers to trial, records show, but the case was dismissed after a hung verdict. A Republican ticket for a divided party Only one Republican candidate in each statewide contest is advancing to the ballot. Earle-Sears became the gubernatorial nominee after Republicans Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with Trump. Conservative talk-radio host John Reid became the de facto nominee for lieutenant governor after his primary opponent left the race, and despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot on the ballot after announcing his reelection bid. Downballot races in the House of Delegates All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are up for election in November, and some nomination contests are taking place in Virginia's more competitive districts. Democrats May Nivar and Andrew Schear are racing to take on Republican incumbent Del. David Owen in a Richmond-area district that House liberals are vying to flip. Three Democrats are running to battle Republican Del. Carrie Coyner in a Petersburg-area district. Two Republicans and two Democrats will have separate primaries to fill a competitive seat in the Chesapeake area, which opened after Republican Rep. Baxter Ennis announced his retirement. ___ Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Advertisement
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia's Democratic lieutenant governor candidates discuss taking on Trump, federal cuts
A field of six candidates is competing to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in Virginia's June 17 primary election. It's a job that, at first blush, doesn't appear to have as many responsibilities as other elected offices. The lieutenant governor is first in the line of succession for the governor, and shall assume the position if the governor is not able to complete his or her job duties, according to the Constitution of Virginia. But the office also presides over the Virginia Senate, and casts tiebreaking votes. It's a distinct possibility in the chamber, which currently has a 21-19 Democratic advantage. Additionally, several former lieutenant governors, such as Doug Wilder, Tim Kaine and Ralph Northam, have used the office as a springboard to successfully run for governor. This year, retired attorney Alex Bastani, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, state Sen. Aaron Rouse, former prosecutor Victor Salgado and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney are Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican nominee and former talk radio host John Reid in the November general election. At least by campaign fundraising amounts and endorsements, the candidates can be divided into two groups: three longtime Virginia Democrats with years of governing experience and three relative newcomers to politics. Leading the money race this year is Stoney with about $1.4 million raisedas of March 31, Rouse with $1.2 million and Hashmi with $1.1 million , according to the Virginia Public Access Project. During the same time period, Lateef has raised about $970,000, Salgado has raised $204,000 and Bastani $134,000. In cash donations of less than $100 — a metric campaigns often tout as an indication of grassroots support — Hashmi leads with 1,721 donations as of March 31, followed by Rouse with 994 donations, Lateef with 374, Stoney with 210, Salgado with 117 and Bastani with 14. In the endorsement game, Stoney has the backing of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Rouse has endorsements from U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott and state Sen. Louise Lucas. Hashmi has endorsements from Rep. Ro Khanna of California and the Sierra Club. Lateef has been endorsed by the Move Chamber, a Muslim chamber of commerce, and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 51. The list is compiled through campaign announcements and websites and is not definitive. Several candidates say their government experience helps them stand out, while others touted their outsider status. Rouse, a former professional football player and Virginia Beach City Council member, touted his experience in local government and the Virginia Senate. He noted his track record of moves such as sponsoring a bill to revise a property tax exemption program for seniors and winning a seat previously held by a Republican in a 2023 special election that helped safeguard against a GOP effort to enact a 15-week abortion ban. That bill however, was defeated in committee and Rouse did not vote on the legislation. 757 Votes: The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press 2025 primary election guide 6 Virginia Democrats run for election in crowded lieutenant governor primary Democrats running for attorney general say Virginia needs to challenge Trump Rouse, who was raised in Norfolk and later Virginia Beach by a single mother, said he would continue to showcase the values the region taught him. 'I look forward to making my hometown proud,' he said. Hashmi is the first Muslim elected to the Virginia Senate and spent 30 years as a college professor. She took office in 2020 and touted her experience in the state legislature. She serves as chair of the of the Senate Education and Health Committee. 'I think it's really important to have someone in this position that's ready on day one to start taking on the critical areas that are impacting Virginia,' she said. Stoney, who was Richmond mayor for eight years and secretary of the commonwealth under McAuliffe, touted his experience as well. 'For eight years, I've had to make bold, consequential decisions in the daily lives of Virginians,' Stoney said. During his time as mayor, Stoney decided to remove over a dozen Confederate monuments after 2020 protests triggered by the police killing of George Floyd. However, he faced criticism over the police tear gassing of peaceful protestors, unrealized development projects and supporting two failed casino referendum votes. Lateef is a is an ophthalmologist and has served as chair of the Prince William County School Board since 2018. He touted student improvement during his time on the school board, and said he would focus on kitchen table issues like the economic prosperity for all Virginians. He also said he would advocate for using the state's recent revenue surpluses to invest in Virginia school capital improvement projects. Salgado, a former federal prosecutor with the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, said he had anticipated the federal government's incursion into states' rights and would help advise the governor and attorney general on how to fight back against the Trump administration. He's also made campaign finance reform a central pillar of his campaign, saying he would withhold votes in the Virginia Senate if a campaign finance bill was not passed by lawmakers. Salgado is pushing for limits on personal and corporate campaign contributions, to forbid conduit contributions — where a straw donor is used to hide the identity of the actual donor — and to create a watchdog agency to investigate violations. Bastani, a former U.S. Labor Department lawyer, is presenting himself as the progressive choice for the office by supporting universal health care and repealing the state's right-to-work law, which lets workers choose whether or not to pay union dues. All six candidates say they would like to repeal the measure, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger told a Richmond TV station she would not sign a repeal. Bastani said his potential win would signal that voters want to repeal the law and put additional pressure on Spanberger to sign a bill. He also believed universal health care could be implemented at the state level, saying studies have shown the program could save billions if implemented in the entire country. The candidates also offered differing solutions to standing up to President Donald Trump's cuts to federal jobs, grants and services like Medicaid. Hashmi said she would move for Virginia to quickly rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, saying it could provide millions of dollars in climate program funding to plug holes from federal cuts. Gov. Glenn Youngkin directed Virginia to leave the 12-state carbon emissions reduction program in 2022. A federal judge ruled the move was unlawful in November, but the state is appealing the ruling. Rouse said he would attempt to not only push back but work together with federal officials to try and reverse the cuts. Stoney said he would continue to speak out about the cuts, and called out Youngkin and current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP candidate for governor, for not doing more to resist the federal actions. Salgado said the state must be ready to combat Trump's bill in court immediately once it is signed into law. Additionally, he called for looking into whether state funding sources could be used as stopgap measures. Lateef also supported taking the Trump administration to court, and advocated for civil disobedience if the administration did not comply with court orders. Bastani also advocated with working together with federal lawmakers to reverse the cuts, and said he supported raising Virginia's corporate tax rate to create more revenue to support affected communities. Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345,
