See below for a big endorsement, by Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger of VA01 Democratic candidate Shannon Taylor (the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney who narrowly lost the Democratic AG primary last June to Jay Jones). Note that there are a slew of Democrats running for this nomination, with Taylor leading in fundraising (followed by Lisa Vedernikova Khanna). Anyway, this is a very big endorsement, which I thought newsworthy and significant. The important thing, obviously, is that Democrats defeat the abysmal Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01) next November, so the goal should be to nominate the strongest Democrat who can do that.
Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger Endorses Prosecutor Shannon Taylor for Congress in VA-01
Henrico, VA — Today, Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger announced her endorsement of Henrico’s top prosecutor Shannon Taylor for Virginia’s 1st Congressional District in her race against vulnerable Republican incumbent Congressman Rob Wittman. Governor-elect Spanberger won the boundaries of VA-01 earlier this month, underscoring a clear path to victory for Taylor to unseat Rep. Wittman.
“As Henrico’s top prosecutor, Shannon Taylor has delivered justice with integrity, independence, and a deep commitment to the people she serves. For more than a decade, she has worked to keep families safe — prosecuting violent offenders, protecting victims, and standing firm against those who would do her community harm,” said Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. “Now she’s ready to take that same fight to Washington. I’ve known Shannon for years, I’ve seen her work up close, and I know she will fight tirelessly for the hardworking families of Virginia’s 1st District. I am proud to endorse her campaign and to partner with her to deliver for Virginia.”
“I am truly honored to have the endorsement of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger,” said Shannon Taylor. “She has dedicated her career to public service and understands how important it is that Virginia is safe and affordable. I look forward to partnering with her to lower costs, keep communities safe, and build a Virginia where every family can get ahead.”
Spanberger’s support follows her commanding performance across VA-01 in November. She carried Chesterfield County by 17 points, dominated in Henrico — Taylor’s home base — by 38 points, and made gains in rural communities throughout the Northern Neck. Taken together, these results show that VA-01 — which includes portions of Spanberger’s former congressional district — is continuing to trend blue.
Non-partisan elections race rater Cook Political Report recently shifted Virginia’s 1st Congressional District in Democrats’ direction, specifically citing the strength of Taylor’s campaign as a major reason for the change.
ABOUT SHANNON:
Shannon Taylor is a battle-tested prosecutor with 25 years of experience and a 90% conviction rate in homicide cases, taking on the toughest threats to Virginia families and delivering justice. A native of Charlottesville and graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond Law School, she began her career as a prosecutor in Richmond before serving as a Special Assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s office. In 2011, she flipped the Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office from Republican to Democrat, becoming the first woman elected to the role. She has since been re-elected three times, proving she knows how to win tough races.
As Commonwealth’s Attorney, Taylor has pioneered programs to support victims of human trafficking, created a task force to tackle the opioid epidemic, and led prosecutors statewide in pledging not to criminalize women or doctors for abortion care. She has worked alongside law enforcement to keep families safe, fought fraud that harms working people, and partnered with gun safety advocates to take illegal guns off the streets.
Shannon Taylor has built her career on protecting Virginians and delivering justice for families regardless of their politics.
For more on Shannon Taylor’s campaign, visit ShannonTaylorVA.com.
