VA-SD15: Jones wins Democratic nomination in Virginia Senate District 15 after tense primary
Del. Mike Jones of Richmond clinched the Democratic nomination Sunday evening for next month’s special election in Virginia’s Senate District 15, defeating Del. Debra Gardner, D-Chesterfield, in a firehouse primary. The spotlight now shifts to a January showdown for control of a key Virginia Senate seat.
Jones, first elected to the House in 2023, will face Republican John Thomas next month in a race Democrats view as critical to protecting their narrow 21–19 majority in the Virginia Senate.
The solidly Democratic district, which covers parts of Richmond and northern Chesterfield County, is expected to be one of the first major tests of the party’s strength heading into the 2026 General Assembly session.
Sunday’s firehouse primary — a rapid, party-run process held under a compressed timeline after Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi resigned to prepare for her statewide post — drew steady turnout from local Democrats at three polling locations. Party leaders quickly rallied behind Jones after polls closed Sunday.
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/12/08/jones-wins-democratic-nomination-in-virginia-senate-district-15-after-tense-primary/