Name: Jerrauld “Jay” Jones
Race: Senate, 89th District
Party: Democrat
Website: JayJones.vote
Why should residents re-elect you to the Virginia House of Delegates?
Over the past two years we have made significant achievements in infrastructure investment, the expansion of Medicaid (including giving access to 13,000 in the City of Norfolk alone), and measures to reform our criminal justice system and break the school-to-prison pipeline. I will continue to focus on these areas should I be reelected as we can build upon these gains going forward.
What is the biggest issue facing your district, and how do you plan to address it?
Climate change is the biggest issue facing the 89th District. Bounded by water on two sides, each resident must grapple with the effects of sea level rise and recurrent flooding. The longer we wait to address this issue, the more expensive solutions become. I will continue to be a loud voice in Richmond to ensure that helping this area stay resilient is prioritized, especially given our major assets: The Port of Virginia, Naval Station Norfolk, and the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
What was the most important vote taken in the Virginia General Assembly in 2019, and why?
The most important vote taken in 2019 in the General Assembly was on our budget, which provided for a 5% teacher pay raise. While not nearly as much as they deserve, this was a major step in the right direction. We continue to lag behind on teacher pay relative to the national average, but this represents a commitment to our education system that will lay the groundwork for future investments in our teachers and students.
