Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney ends Virginia governor bid

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney dropped his bid for Virginia governor on Tuesday, avoiding a messy Democratic primary for 2025.

The move leaves Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia as the only prominent Democratic candidate in the open race right now.

Stoney — who switched to run for lieutenant governor instead — emphasized party unity and the desire to avoid a costly primary election in his statement on Tuesday. “I believe this is a time when Democrats must stand united and avoid an ugly primary for Governor,” Stoney wrote on social media.

The position will be open in 2025, with Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin unable to run for reelection. Virginia has an unusual law in which governors may not serve consecutive terms.

Stoney was backed by former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who worked closely with him for 15 years. McAuliffe, elected in 2013, lost his comeback gubernatorial bid in an upset by Youngkin in 2021.

The commonwealth’s top contest is expected to be hyper-competitive in the off-year general election. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and state Attorney General Jason Miyares are rumored to be considering runs for the GOP nomination, POLITICO previously reported.

Democrats have a majority in both legislative chambers after flipping the House and holding on to the Senate in 2023, narrowly blocking Youngkin and Republicans from having a trifecta in a state that tilts blue on the federal level.

Key priorities for Stoney include reproductive rights, education funding and tax fairness, he shared in his statement.

“I firmly believe that running for LG is the right move for me and my family, the right move for the Democratic Party, the right move for the future of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Stoney wrote.