NORFOLK, Va. — Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced his campaign for Virginia governor Monday morning, entering what's expected to be a highly competitive race nearly two years before the 2025 election.
Stoney, a Democrat, made the announcement in a video released Monday morning that touted his life story, and his efforts to improve Richmond residents' lives by improving the city’s finances, improving roads, building new schools, and reducing the poverty rate. He also took aim at Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's policies.
"He’s working on an extreme agenda that doesn’t represent who we are," Stoney said in the video. "It just divides us, and then nothing gets done. We can’t afford to sit on our hands and do nothing. It’s time we put the hopes and dreams of Virginians first."
Stoney's announcement comes after his campaign filed the paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections on Monday, Nov. 27. He is the second Democrat to join the race to succeed the term-limited Youngkin. U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) announced in November she would forego a fourth term in Congress to run for governor.
Stoney has served as Richmond's mayor since 2017 and is currently in his second term. According to his online biography, he is the youngest serving mayor of the city. From 2014 to 2016, he served as Virginia's secretary of the commonwealth under then-Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
In a news release Monday, Stoney's campaign said he would "dig right in, roll up his sleeves, and build a thriving Virginia where everyone has a fair shot at success."
"As Mayor of Richmond, Levar has taken a get-things-done approach – and that’s the same thing he’ll do as Governor," the release said. "Now is the time for bold leadership where we tackle the problems that have plagued us for generations and get big things done for Virginia."
With just under two years to the 2025 election, Stoney and Spanberger's entrances are unusually early. In the 2021 gubernatorial election, Youngkin announced his campaign in January of that year, while McAullife, who was seeking a second non-consecutive term, entered in December 2020.
No Republicans have announced their candidacy for the 2025 gubernatorial race, but there is speculation that Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares may join the race, Axios Richmond reported earlier this year.
In response to Stoney's campaign announcement, the Republican Party of Virginia shared a statement Monday morning slamming him as a "radical Democrat" who puts "special interests and left-wing ideology ahead of his constituents."
"It’s clear that a Stoney governorship would be a disaster for Virginia, and the exact opposite of the principled, common-sense leadership we have seen over the past three years under Governor Youngkin," the Republican Party of Virginia's statement read.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.