Virginia Beach Del. Jason Miyares chosen as Republican candidate for Va. attorney general in 2021

by: WAVY Web Staff, Associated Press

Posted: May 9, 2021 / 10:53 PM EDT

Updated: May 10, 2021 / 08:53 AM EDT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY/AP) — Virginia Beach Del. Jason Miyares will be the Republican nominee for Virginia attorney general come November.

Miyares has been chosen to take on incumbent Democrat Mark Herring, who’s running for a third term. Norfolk Delegate Jay Jones is running against Herring in the Democratic primary.

The 2021 Republican nominee for Attorney General is @JasonMiyaresVA of Virginia Beach. https://t.co/mzRwGTSgfZ

We'll do this again tomorrow, starting with the six-way contest for Lt. Governor. pic.twitter.com/Mh0UcCyXf3
— vpapupdates (@vpapupdates) May 10, 2021

The Republican Party held what it’s calling an “unassembled convention” on Saturday to select its nominees in this year’s race for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

More than 53,000 Virginians successfully pre-registered as delegates. GOP officials rejected applications from roughly 700 would-be delegates.

Polling closed at 4 p.m. Saturday, but the party didn’t begin counting ballots until Sunday.

#BREAKING Multiple sources reporting that @CityofVaBeach Del. @JasonMiyaresVA will be @VA_GOP's nominee to take on either @MarkHerringVA or @jonesjay in Nov. @WAVY_News pic.twitter.com/zjkh3Jow69
— Brett Hall (@BrettHNews) May 10, 2021

Mirayes announced his run back in December 2020. The 44-year-old Republican has represented the 82nd district since 2016. His current term in the House of Delegates ends in January 2022.

Miyares is a lawyer with degrees from the College of William & Mary and James Madison University. He currently serves on the General Laws, Courts of Justice and Transportation committees in the House of Delegates, working on issues such as coastal flooding and regulatory reform.

Republicans haven’t won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009.