Government | Politics 2024: JASON MIYARES

Miyares, the son of a Cuban refugee, became the first Hispanic elected to statewide office in Virginia after voters backed his attorney general bid in 2021. Along with Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, he is widely expected to seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2025.

As attorney general, Miyares has touted successes in reducing crime through Operation Ceasefire, an initiative targeting 13 cities with high gun violence rates that his office said has resulted in a 17% decline in homicides. Along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, he’s also devoted significant attention to the opioid epidemic, launching campaigns such as “It Only Takes One” to discourage fentanyl use.

The former Virginia Beach state delegate hasn’t been afraid to wade into the political fray. His office’s 2023 investigation into a former Virginia Parole Board chair, Democratic appointee Adrianne Bennett, found major violations of state law. And he’s launched multiple investigations into Northern Virginia schools, including two civil rights probes at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology that have been lauded by Republicans and heavily criticized by Democrats.