NORFOLK, Va. — Republican Jason Miyares is the projected winner in the race for Virginia's attorney general, denying Democrat Mark Herring a third term in office.
Early Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported the race was still too close to call but had Miyares leading Herring, 51% to 49%.
AP made the official call Wednesday around 5:15 p.m.
However, on Tuesday night, Miyares declared himself the winner in a statement.
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Miyares was elected to represent Virginia Beach's 82nd District House of Delegates seat in 2015. The former Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach will be the first Virginia attorney general in 225 years to be the child of an immigrant, according to Miyares' website.
"Now I stand here today - elected to be the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia - the first-ever son of an immigrant and the first Latino ever to be elected statewide in the Commonwealth’s history," he said.
Recent polling showed a tight race between him and Herring, just like the governor's and lieutenant governor's races. The final poll before the election from Christopher Newport University's Wason Center showed Herring leading Miyares 49% to 48%, with 5% undecided.
In his victory statement, Miyares thanked Herring "for his years in public service and the sacrifice he’s made for our state. I know hard it can be."
On Wednesday afternoon, Herring issued a statement saying he called Miyares and congratulated him on his victory.
"He will be accepting a role and leading an office that has tremendous capacity for good in the lives of Virginians," Herring said in his statement.
Herring went on to mention some of the state's successes during his tenure, and wrapped up by saying, "We have had the honor of writing an amazing chapter in the history of our state, and for that, I will always be grateful."