Jay Jones (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jay Jones
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 89th district
In office January 10, 2018 – December 31, 2021
Preceded by	Daun Hester
Succeeded by	Jackie Glass
Personal details
Born	(1989-03-14) March 14, 1989 (age 36) Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Relatives	Jerrauld Jones (father)
Education	College of William and Mary (BA) University of Virginia (JD)

Jerrauld Charles Corey "Jay" Jones (born March 14, 1989) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 89th district from 2018 to 2021. The House of Delegates is like a state-level parliament where laws are made.

Jay Jones is a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently the party’s chosen candidate for Attorney General in the 2025 election. The Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer. In this election, he will run against the current Republican Attorney General, Jason Miyares.

In July 2020, Jones announced he wanted to become the Attorney General of Virginia in the 2021 election. He did not win the Democratic primary election, losing to the person who already held the job, Mark Herring. Even the Governor, Ralph Northam, supported Jones. In December 2021, Jones decided to leave his position in the Virginia House of Delegates to spend more time with his family.

Early Life and Education

Jay Jones was born in Norfolk, Virginia. His father, Jerrauld Jones, was a judge for Norfolk’s circuit court. His mother, Lyn M. Simmons, was also a family court judge. Jay's father held the same 89th district seat in the Virginia House from 1988 to 2002.

Jay's grandparents were also important people in their community. His paternal grandparents were Hilary H. Jones Jr., a lawyer and civil rights leader, and Corinne D. Jones, a school teacher. His maternal grandparents, Charles and Margaret Simmons, were professors at Norfolk State University and Hampton University.

Jones went to Norfolk Collegiate School and finished in 2006. He then attended the College of William & Mary. He studied government and history, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. While in college, Jones worked as an intern for Paula Miller, who was a lawmaker, in 2009.

Career Path

After college, Jay Jones worked for two years in New York at a company called Goldman Sachs. He helped manage risks and advised on credit ratings for natural resources and technology companies.

Later, he returned to Virginia and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2015. While studying law, Jones interned in the office of Algie Howell, another lawmaker. Today, Jones is a practicing trial lawyer in Norfolk, Virginia. He also serves on several community boards in the Hampton Roads area.

Serving in the Virginia House of Delegates

Jay Jones speaking at a rally with Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi in Fairfax City.

On February 13, 2017, Jay Jones announced he would run for the Virginia House of Delegates. He was running for the same seat his father had held years before. On June 13, 2017, Jones won the Democratic primary election. This meant he became the Democratic candidate for the 89th district.

On November 7, 2017, he won the general election against Terry Hurst, a candidate from the Libertarian Party. Jones officially became a Delegate on January 10, 2018, taking over from Daun Hester. In 2019, Jones ran for reelection and won without anyone running against him.

At the start of his second term, Jones was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee. This committee helps decide how the state's money is spent. In September 2019, Jones supported Cory Booker in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary elections.

In December 2021, Jones announced he was leaving the Virginia House of Delegates. He and his wife were expecting their first child in the summer of 2022. Another Democrat, Jackie Glass, was elected to take his place in a special election on January 11, 2022.

Running for Attorney General in 2021

Jay Jones was a candidate in the Democratic primary for the 2021 Virginia Attorney General election. On June 8, 2021, he lost the primary election to the person who was already the Attorney General, Mark Herring.

Running for Attorney General in 2025

Jay Jones won the Democratic nomination to be the candidate for the 2025 Virginia Attorney General election.

Personal Life

Jay Jones is Catholic. He has been a lifelong member of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk.

In 2017, a friend introduced Jones to Mavis Baah, who works in public relations. They got married in September 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they had a smaller wedding with 50 guests instead of 300. The couple now has two sons. Mavis Baah's mother, Janna Baah, is from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Her father, Dr. Anthony Baah, is from Accra, Ghana. Mavis's family moved to the United States when she was five years old.

Election Results