Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares hinted he may announce his run for governor following the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election. Miyares made the remarks while attending former President Donald Trump’s rally in Chesapeake, Virginia on Friday.
Miyares made the comments after National Review asked the attorney general whether he was considering a run to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin, who is unable to seek another term.
“I will be happy to comment about and discuss my political future the appropriate time. We have a really important election right now,” Miyares told the outlet. He added, “It is obvious from watching last night’s debate that you’ve never had a clearer contrast between two candidates for the presidency.”
Miyares was more willing to speak to the outlet about the gubernatorial campaign launched by Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) last November.
“The debate in 2025 is going to be if you liked the Joe Biden model of governance, or if you liked the Glenn Younkin model of governance,” Miyares argued.
The Republican noted to the outlet, “Abigail Spanberger voted 100 percent with Joe Biden this last year.”
Miyares was less willing to answer questions about the potential gubernatorial candidacy of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who is widely expected to seek Youngkin’s job in 2025.
“I can’t speak for Winsome, she can speak for herself. I mean, I think all of us are focused on 2024. At least I am, and I think she could probably talk about her future.” Miyares told National Review.
Asked whether Earle-Sears’ decision would influence his own, Miyares ultimately told the outlet, “I’m not going to speculate about what-ifs at this stage. I’m focused on 2024.”
While the outlet reported that Miyares was seated in the Trump campaign’s VIP section for the rally, and Miyares both spoke at the rally and appeared onstage with the former president, Earle-Sears was not at the event.
Earle-Sears’ staff told National Review that her travel schedule conflicted with Trump’s rally, but the outlet reported, “a person familiar with the matter tells NR that Sears was not invited to speak at Friday’s Trump rally.”
While Youngkin and Miyares both endorsed Trump after he was declared the presumptive winner of the Republican nomination process, Earle-Sears reportedly declined to do the same.
Instead, Earle-Sears reportedly stated, “Everybody has to make their own decision” and referenced scripture.
In 2022, Earle-Sears argued that Trump should not seek another term, calling him a political “liability” who voters wanted to “step off the stage.”
She stated, “For the good of the nation, I do not think he should run again in 2024.”
At the time, a spokesman for Trump called her words “a slap to the face to all of the grassroots Republicans that worked so hard to get [Sears] elected,” and predicted, “They won’t forget this and there will be a reckoning. There always is in politics.”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “A.G. Jason Miyares” by A.G. Jason Miyares and “Trump Rally in Chesapeake” is by Dan Scavino.
