by. Brandon Jarvis
RICHMOND, Va. — The Democratic statewide ticket held its first joint event Saturday afternoon at Abner Clay Park in Richmond, launching an eight-day bus tour. Gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, lieutenant governor nominee Ghazala Hashmi and attorney general nominee Jay Jones emphasized party unity and standing up to President Donald Trump.
“Today is a really fun day,” Spanberger said. “We are starting our bus tour across the commonwealth to make sure that everywhere we travel, people get to hear from us about the things that we are for, the policies we wish and will work to pursue.”
The ticket was introduced by United States Senator Mark Warner and Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-VA04, who both stressed the importance of standing up to Trump.
“We are facing a crisis unprecedented in our country, and Virginia is ready to lead the way in 2025,” Hashmi said. “All eyes of the country are on us. We’re going to send a loud signal across the country that Virginia is going to stand firm and protect the rights and the opportunities for everybody who lives here in this commonwealth.”
Jones spoke directly about his opponent, Attorney General Jason Miyares, pointing out that he has not pushed back on Trump’s initiatives.
“Jason Miyares has put his own political agenda before the people,” Jones said. “He has bent the office to serve Donald Trump’s extreme agenda that is destroying Virginia’s economy and harming our workers.”
The unity message is an indirect attack on their Republican opponents, following a statement from Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid on Wednesday that he and gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears had not spoken in nearly two months.
They eventually spoke in a phone call later that day, according to representatives from both campaigns.
Democrats, however, who have only shared a ticket for a few days, are hitting the ground running.
“I’m excited that on our side of the aisle, we are unified, certainly not just in our respect for one another and our communication, but in the policies that we wish to pursue,” Spanberger said in a conversation with reporters.
“The fact that we are focused on addressing issues of affordability – that matters to Virginians – affordability in healthcare, in energy and in housing. We are unified in the reality facing so many of our public schools, we are unified in wanting to make our public schools the best in the nation.”
Republicans have fumbled a nearly two-month lead on the campaign trail by not appearing together. Earle-Sears has held a few events, including a high-energy rally on the primary night, but she has had no public appearances with Reid or Attorney Miyares.
For Democrats, this bus tour marks the start of what they hope will be a high-energy sprint toward November, anchored by a message of unity and shared priorities.
