Mark Herring
2014 - Present
2022
7
Mark Herring (Democratic Party) is the Attorney General of Virginia. He assumed office on January 11, 2014. His current term ends on January 12, 2022.
Herring (Democratic Party) is running for re-election for Attorney General of Virginia. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 2, 2021. He advanced from the Democratic primary on June 8, 2021.
Prior to his election as attorney general, Herring was a Democratic member of the Virginia State Senate, representing District 33 from 2006 until 2014.
Contents
Biography
Herring received a B.A. in foreign affairs and economics and an M.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. He also received a J.D. from the University of Richmond. Herring is an attorney at law.
2021 battleground election
- See also: Virginia Attorney General election, 2021
Incumbent Mark Herring (D) and Jason Miyares (R) are running in the election for attorney general on November 2, 2021.
Herring has served as Virginia’s attorney general since 2014. Miyares has served as state delegate representing District 82 in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2016.[1] During the primary, Herring was endorsed by Reps. Gerry Connolly (D) and Don Beyer (D) and The Washington Post. Miyares received endorsements from former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley (R), Rep. Ben Cline (R), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R).[2]
In a June 15 debate, Herring and Miyares outlined their campaign priorities and visions for the role of Virginia’s attorney general. Herring said he believed “the attorney general should be the people’s lawyer, working to keep Virginians safe and ensuring justice, equality, and opportunity for all.” He highlighted his participation in cases opposing Donald Trump’s (R) immigration policies in the Middle East, supporting same-sex marriage, and supporting the Affordable Care Act. Herring also criticized Miyares, saying: “Voters will have [a choice] between my proven record of protecting Virginians and expanding rights, and conservative activist Jason Miayres, who would abuse the powers of the office to roll back all of those gains and make Virginians less safe.”[3]
Miyares said he believed “the attorney general is the top cop of Virginia,” and highlighted his experience as a former prosecutor. He said he would support victims of crime and that “violent crime is at the highest rate it’s been in two decades, Virginia’s murder rate is the highest it’s been since the turn of the decade. We desperately need some type of check and balance in Richmond.” He criticized Herring, saying: “Mark Herring has forgotten our victims because he’s been pushing a criminal-first, victim-last mindset that’s made Virginians less safe and less secure.”[3]
Herring (D), first elected in 2013, won re-election in 2017 with 53.4% of the vote to John Adams’ (R) 46.6%. The last Republican attorney general in Virginia was Ken Cuccinelli, who served from 2010 to 2014. Cuccinelli’s election in 2009, along with that year’s election of former Governor Bob McDonnell (R), was the last time a Republican candidate won statewide office in Virginia.[4] A Virginia attorney general has not served three consecutive terms since 1945 when Abram Penn Staples (D) was elected for the third time.[5]
The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government. The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly and other government officials.
Elections
2021
See also: Virginia Attorney General election, 2021
Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)
Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)
General election for Attorney General of Virginia
Incumbent Mark Herring and Jason Miyares are running in the general election for Attorney General of Virginia on November 2, 2021.
Candidate |
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Mark Herring (D) | |
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Jason Miyares (R) | |
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Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia
Incumbent Mark Herring defeated Jerrauld Jones in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Virginia on June 8, 2021.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
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| ✔ |
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Mark Herring |
56.5
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267,504 |
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Jerrauld Jones |
43.5
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205,646 | |
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Total votes: 473,150 (99.80% precincts reporting) |
Republican Convention for Attorney General of Virginia
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Jason Miyares in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
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Total votes: 12,553 |
Candidate profile
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: Yes
- Virginia Attorney General (Assumed office: 2014)
- Virginia State Senate (2006-2014)
Herring received a bachelor’s degree in economics and foreign affairs and a master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. He received a law degree from the University of Richmond. Before entering politics, he worked at Herring & Turner, P.C. as an attorney.
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Virginia attorney general election, 2021: General election polls | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Herring 
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Miyares 
|
Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size | Sponsor | |||
| JMC Analytics and Polling[6][7][8] | June 9-12, 2021 | 45% | 38% | 17%[9] | ± 4.2 | 550 | CNalysis | |||
Campaign finance
The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates' loan totals, if any, here and learn more about this data here.
Endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes links to endorsement lists published on campaign websites, if available. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.
| Noteworthy endorsements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Herring (D) | Miyares (R) | ||||
| Newspapers and editorials | ||||||
| The Washington Post[10] | ✔ | |||||
| Elected officials | ||||||
| Rep. Don Beyer (D)[11] | ✔ | |||||
| Rep. Ben Cline (R)[12] | ✔ | |||||
| Rep. Gerry Connolly (D)[13] | ✔ | |||||
| Sen. Marco Rubio (R)[12] | ✔ | |||||
| Individuals | ||||||
| Former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley (R)[12] | ✔ | |||||
2017
Herring, the sitting attorney general, was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- See also: Virginia attorney general election, 2017
| Virginia Attorney General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Mark Herring Incumbent |
53.39% | 1,385,389 | |
| Republican | John Adams | 46.61% | 1,209,339 | |
| Total Votes | 2,594,728 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
2013
- See also: Virginia attorney general election, 2013
In the 2013 race for attorney general, Herring defeated Justin Fairfax in the Democratic primary election on June 11 and faced Republican nominee Mark Obenshain in the general election.[15][16] Herring's 165-vote margin of victory in the general election was narrow enough to activate Obenshain's right, as the losing candidate, to request a publicly-financed recount.[17][18] Herring's win gave Democrats control of the office for the first time in almost two decades.[19]
- General Election - 2013 Attorney General Race
| Recount: Virginia Attorney General General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mark Herring (MOV post-recount +907) |
50% | 1,105,045 | |
| Republican | Mark Obenshain | 50% | 1,104,138 | |
| Total Votes | 2,209,183 | |||
| Election Results Virginia State Board of Elections. | ||||
| Virginia Attorney General General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mark Herring (MOV pre-recount +165) |
49.9% | 1,103,777 | |
| Republican | Mark Obenshain | 49.9% | 1,103,612 | |
| N/A | Write-In | 0.2% | 4,892 | |
| Total Votes | 2,212,281 | |||
| Election Results via Virginia State Board of Elections. | ||||
- Primary election - 2013 Attorney General Race
| Attorney General of Virginia Democratic Primary Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Mark Herring |
51.7% | 72,861 | ||
| Justin Fairfax | 48.3% | 68,177 | ||
| Total Votes | 141,038 | |||
| Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections. | ||||
2011
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2011
On November 8, 2011, Herring won re-election to District 33 of the Virginia State Senate. He was unchallenged in the August 23 primary and defeated Patricia Phillips in the November 8 general election.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
| Virginia State Senate, District 33 General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mark Herring Incumbent |
54.1% | 14,061 | |
| Republican | Patricia Phillips | 45.9% | 11,915 | |
| Total Votes | 25,976 | |||
2007
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2007
On Nov. 6, 2007, Herring won re-election to the 33rd District Seat in the Virginia State Senate, defeating opponent Patricia Phillips (R).[20]
Herring raised $1,059,654 for his campaign while Phillips raised $194,645.[21]
| Virginia State Senate, District 33 (2007) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Mark Herring (D)
|
27,784 | 56.89% | ||
| Patricia Phillips (R) | 20,994 | 42.99% | ||
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mark Herring has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
- 4,745 candidates completed the survey in 2020. This number represented 16.4% of all 29,002 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2020. Out of the 4,745 respondents, 743 won their election. Candidates from all 50 states completed the survey. Noteworthy respondents included U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and U.S. presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen. Read the 2020 report for more information about that year's respondents.
- 872 candidates completed the survey in 2019. This number represented 10.4% of all 8,386 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2019. Out of the 872 respondents, 237 won their election. Candidates from 33 states completed the survey. Noteworthy respondents included Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann. Read the 2019 report for more information about that year's respondents.
Campaign website
Herring’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Attorney General Mark R. Herring is working every day to promote safe, successful communities in every corner of the Commonwealth, where justice, equality, and opportunity are guaranteed for all Virginians. He has advocated for substantial reforms to address disparities and inequities throughout the criminal justice system including cash bail reform, expanding opportunities for record expungement, growing Virginia’s reentry programs, and ensuring accountability and transparency in policing. He has also become the leader on marijuana reform in Virginia by calling for decriminalization, which passed during the 2020 legislative session, and continuing the fight for full legalization. Attorney General Herring has brought together law enforcement, community leaders, the faith community, and others to find common ground, identify solutions, and ensure the safety of our communities and the equal and fair treatment of all our citizens. He and his team led an ambitious 21st century policing training initiative that helped hundreds of officers receive training on critical skills like implicit bias control, de-escalation, and crisis intervention training. He has also advocated for policing reforms that will reduce brutality and abuses of power by law enforcement, increase transparency, accountability, justice, and equality. These include enabling the Attorney General to conduct “patterns or practice” investigations; making it easier to remove bad officers from the law enforcement profession; creating a “duty to intervene” for law enforcement officers; modernizing, standardizing, and elevating the rigor of police training; among others. Attorney General Herring is leading the way in transforming how Virginia works to prevent and responds to sexual and domestic violence. He eliminated Virginia’s backlog of 2,665 untested rape kits, as part of a $3.4 million project, that resulted in 851 new profiles added to the national DNA database, 354 “hits” sent back to localities for review, and at least 2 charges, with more anticipated. He chaired Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence, which helped make Virginia a national leader on the issue. He has helped implement Lethality Assessment Protocol, an innovative tool to prevent domestic violence and homicide, in dozens of communities around the Commonwealth. Attorney General Herring has been recognized as one of Virginia’s foremost authorities in responding to the heroin and opioid crisis that continues to affect so many families in Virginia and around the country. He has relentlessly pursued a comprehensive strategy that emphasizes education, prevention, and treatment alongside enforcement and cracking down on dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He has also gone after opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in creating and prolonging the opioid crisis by putting profits over human lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets. Even in the NRA’s home state, Attorney General Herring has stood up to the gun lobby and has defended Virginia’s new gun safety measures in court, like the proven-effective one-handgun-a-month law and Virginia’s expanded background checks. He has built a record of achievement in reducing gun violence, prosecuting more than 100 cases involving illegal guns and gun violence. He has also led effective projects to reduce gun violence using public health and violence interruption models.
Attorney General Herring has been recognized as one of Virginia’s foremost authorities in responding to the heroin and opioid crisis that is touching so many families in Virginia and around the country. Because he understands that we can’t just arrest our way out of this problem, he has relentlessly pursued a comprehensive strategy that emphasizes education, prevention, and treatment alongside enforcement against dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction. Attorney General Herring launched an unprecedented five-point plan to address the crisis which includes legislation, education, prevention, enforcement, and collaboration. He was recognized with the “Bronze Key Award” from the McShin Foundation for his commitment and effectiveness in addressing substance abuse. Attorney General Herring and his team have been relentless in cracking down on the dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets. Because education and prevention are key to solving the problem, Attorney General Herring created “Heroin: The Hardest Hit,” an award-winning documentary and a companion website www.HardestHitVA.com which serves as a one-stop shop for education and prevention materials. The film is now mandatory viewing in health education classes around the state, and the office is even educating middle schoolers on the dangers of heroin and prescription drug abuse. The General Assembly passed two lifesaving pieces of legislation brought forward by Attorney General Herring, one to make Naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal drug, available without a prescription and available to all law enforcement officers and first responders, and one to create the state’s first “Good Samaritan” safe reporting law to encourage people in the presence of an overdose to call 911. Those two measures have saved thousands of lives since their enactment. This year, he helped expand Naloxone access to community organizations and nonprofits. Attorney General Herring secured the donation of more than 80,000 drug disposal kits to get unused prescriptions out of medicine cabinets before they can be abused. He has partnered with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District to create the Hampton Roads Heroin Work Group, and he and his team are active members of multiple heroin task forces around the state.
Attorney General Mark R. Herring recognizes that nothing is more important than the safety of our children. That’s why he has made Virginia a national leader in the use of innovative technology to protect children and catch perpetrators, and led a bipartisan effort to expand the reach of Virginia’s efforts. He and his team have helped put hundreds of child predators behind bars through aggressive prosecutions and digital forensics work. Attorney General Herring and his team have worked more than 250 cases against child predators, secured jail sentences of more than 500 years, and examined more than 2,000 computers, phones, and other devices in 400 different cases. He made the services of the office more readily available and accessible to state and local law enforcement agencies and invested in a mobile computer forensics lab so technicians can analyze child pornography at the scene of the crime. Attorney General Herring’s Office has invested in cutting edge technology that makes it easier for investigators to identify child victims and rescue them from dangerous situations. Virginia is one of only about 5 states to utilize this powerful technology, which has led to additional arrests, more than 4,000 pieces of evidence, more than 1,000 tips, and more than 200 active investigations. Attorney General Herring has partnered with South Dakota Republican Attorney General Marty Jackley to launch the bipartisan Campaign for Child Rescue, a joint effort by child welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies, and the high-tech sector to promote new technology to make investigations easier, to build stronger cases, and to identify and rescue children from dangerous situations. Attorney General Herring and his team have been integral to high-profile child pornography and child exploitation prosecutions including a cross-country child sex ring, a former youth hockey coach in Northern Virginia, and a former school teacher in the Richmond area.
Attorney General Herring has stood up to the gun lobby and a legislature that is beholden to it. He has built a record of combating gun violence and has taken strong stands in favor of common sense gun safety measures. Attorney General Herring has assembled a team of prosecutors to crack down on felons with firearms and gun runners. He and his team prosecuted more than 100 gun crimes, including violent crimes, in both state and federal court. Attorney General Herring has formed strong working relationships with law enforcement partners, especially in Washington, DC and Maryland, as well as building relationships with local, state, federal, and interstate law enforcement partners. To address domestic homicide using a gun, Attorney General Herring has built a comprehensive program for training law enforcement and members of Virginia communities in the use of Lethality Assessment Protocol to save lives. To crack down on gun running out of Virginia, he has fought for the reinstatement of Virginia’s “one handgun a month” law and mandatory background checks on all gun sales including those at gun shows. Attorney General Herring has worked with the Virginia faith community to demand gun manufacturers implement gun safety technology and joined with the Attorneys General of Washington D.C. and Maryland to write a letter to those manufacturers requesting information on their safety measures.
Attorney General Mark R. Herring has fought for clean air and water, open spaces, clean energy, and to hold polluters accountable. He has been a consistent voice for progress in developing clean energy and addressing climate change because of Virginia’s unique vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise. In 2016, Attorney General Herring secured the largest environmental damages settlement in Virginia history. He has also brought successful enforcement actions against polluters who damage Virginia waterways. He has made Virginia the first Chesapeake Bay state to successfully defend the Bay cleanup plan in court against a legal attack by out-of-state special interests and attorneys general from states as far away as Alaska. As part of the “Green 20,” Attorney General Herring is working with a group of his fellow attorneys general who have committed to address climate change, protect progress made in recent years, and promote cleaner energy. Attorney General Herring is defending President Obama’s Clean Power Plan in court because it is an ambitious, achievable, and lawful roadmap for enjoying the health, environmental, and economic benefits of cleaner air. He has opposed the Trump Administration’s attempts to withdraw the Clean Power Plan and kill pending litigation regarding its lawfulness. In official opinions, Attorney General Herring has clarified and confirmed the ability of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and the authority of local governments to regulate “fracking.” Working with then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Herring has helped grow solar, wind, and renewable energy sectors in Virginia, including new solar projects that will power state government facilities. Attorney General Herring fought in court to defend Virginia’s conservation easement tax credit program, and spoke out strongly in opposition to President Trump’s proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and Chesapeake Bay Program.
Attorney General Mark R. Herring has been an unwavering advocate for Virginia women on issues of economic fairness, reproductive justice, and more. Along with Governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, he has been a brick wall against Republican attacks on a woman’s reproductive freedom, and has fought in court to defend a woman’s access to comprehensive healthcare services including abortion and birth control. In his own office, he has taken unprecedented steps to elevate women in leadership positions, build an inclusive workforce, and promote pay equity. Attorney General Herring reversed dangerous and incorrect legal advice from his predecessor that had closed at least one women’s health clinic and threatened the closure of more through medically unnecessary and intentionally burdensome regulations. Because of his correct legal advice in what the Washington Post called “a watertight official legal opinion,” the Virginia Board of Health protected women’s health clinics from expensive and medically unnecessary retrofits that would have closed many Virginia clinics that offer abortion services. Attorney General Herring successfully fought alongside his colleagues in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt to strike down Texas’s onerous, medically unnecessary targeted regulations of abortion providers (TRAP). He also led a multi state coalition defending access to healthcare on the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
Promoting Diversity Attorney General Herring has been an outspoken advocate for minority communities, launching www.NoHateVA.com as a resource and seeking additional tools to protect those who are vulnerable from hate crimes and to hold perpetrators accountable. Attorney General Herring was a national leader in fighting former President Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim ban, successfully arguing that the ban was unconstitutional and based on religious bigotry and winning the nation’s first preliminary injunction against the ban. In 2014, Attorney General Herring determined that Virginia DREAMers who were protected by DACA could qualify for in-state tuition and pursue an affordable education in their home state. Since then, hundreds of Virginia students have been able to pursue an affordable education in their home state. Attorney General Herring is working to strengthen the relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, especially in communities of color, by providing additional training on 21st century policing skills like implicit bias, helping departments recruit more diverse officers, and encouraging positive interactions between officers and young people. And he has worked to build a world class team of lawyers that reflects the diversity of the people they serve, including appointing the first African-American woman to serve as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia. Fighting For Equality Attorney General Herring wrote an official advisory opinion that said Virginia public schools can protect LGBT students, teachers, and employees from bullying, discrimination, and harassment. He also ended a policy of the previous administration that barred Virginia colleges and universities from establishing LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies. Attorney General Herring proposed and fought for an updated definition of “hate crime” to include LGBT Virginians, and for additional tools to prosecute suspected hate crimes. He signed an amicus brief in support of transgender students being able to receive an education in a comfortable environment. And he worked with then-Governor Terry McAuliffe to craft an Executive Order barring state contracts to companies who do not have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies, mirroring President Obama’s federal executive order.
Attorney General Mark R. Herring is a pro-business, pro-opportunity attorney general, working everyday to make sure Virginia remains the best state in America to live, work, learn, and raise a family, or to start and grow a business. His background in the private sector, as both a small business owner and an attorney serving Northern Virginia’s business and professional communities, gives him a unique perspective on how to help Virginia businesses thrive. Attorney General Herring is helping to build safe, successful communities in every corner of the Commonwealth. He is spearheading the state’s response to the heroin and opioid crisis, combatting gun and gang violence, and transforming the way Virginia works to prevent and respond to sexual and domestic violence. In an increasingly global economy, Attorney General Herring is working to create a Commonwealth where businesses, entrepreneurs, and talented workers from around the world feel welcome to start, grow, or work at a Virginia business. He has championed common sense immigration reforms, given the children of immigrants who have only called Virginia home an opportunity to pursue an affordable college education in Virginia, and sought new tools and resources to combat hate crimes. Attorney General Herring and his team have worked on legislation to help Virginia prepare for the growing “sharing economy,” and to combat “patent trolls” that force Virginia businesses into expensive litigation over bad-faith claims of patent infringement. [22] |
” |
| —Mark Herring’s campaign website (2021)[23] | ||
Campaign ads
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2017
The following issue statements were found on Herring's official campaign website. Click here for a full list of issue statements.
| “ |
Building Safer, Stronger Communities Attorney General Herring has been recognized as one of Virginia’s foremost authorities in responding to the heroin and opioid crisis that is touching so many families in Virginia and around the country. He has relentlessly pursued a comprehensive strategy that emphasizes education, prevention, and treatment alongside enforcement, cracking down on dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets. Attorney General Herring is leading a transformation in the way Virginia works to prevent and respond to sexual and domestic violence. He is leading a $3.4 million project to completely eliminate Virginia’s backlog of more than 2,000 untested rape kits. He chaired Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence, which helped make Virginia a national leader on the issue. He has helped implement Lethality Assessment Protocol, an innovative tool to prevent domestic violence and homicide, in dozens of communities around the Commonwealth. Combating the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic Attorney General Herring launched an unprecedented five-point plan to address the crisis which includes legislation, education, prevention, enforcement, and collaboration. He was recognized with the “Bronze Key Award” from the McShin Foundation for his commitment and effectiveness in addressing substance abuse. Attorney General Herring and his team have been relentless in cracking down on the dealers and traffickers who profit off addiction and threaten Virginians’ lives. He and his team have prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, which is about 1.69 million doses worth about $17 million on the streets. Keeping Our Children Safe Attorney General Herring and his team have worked more than 250 cases against child predators, secured jail sentences of more than 500 years, and examined more than 2,000 computers, phones, and other devices in 400 different cases. He made the services of the office more readily available and accessible to state and local law enforcement agencies and invested in a mobile computer forensics lab so technicians can analyze child pornography at the scene of the crime. Attorney General Herring’s Office has invested in cutting edge technology that makes it easier for investigators to identify child victims and rescue them from dangerous situations. Virginia is one of only about 5 states to utilize this powerful technology, which has led to additional arrests, more than 4,000 pieces of evidence, more than 1,000 tips, and more than 200 active investigations.[22] |
” |
| —Mark Herring[24] | ||
2011
Herring's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
- Economic Development & Job Creation
- Excerpt: "Innovation is a huge driver of economic growth. Science and technology industry jobs pay high wages and have high growth potential. Senator Herring believes we must take every action possible to make sure that those jobs are created in Virginia."
- Transportation
- Excerpt: "As our State Senator, Mark Herring has secured needed state transportation funding for infrastructure projects that have helped to alleviate congestion on some of our area's major roadways."
- Education
- Excerpt: "Senator Herring knows that education is the key to helping children achieve their full potential, ensure that our economy remains strong, and helps to build a workforce that is prepared to compete successfully in a global economy."
- Open Government
- Excerpt: "Senator Herring has been a strong proponent of common sense measures that promote transparency and accountability in government."
- Military/Veterans Affairs
- Excerpt: "Senator Herring strongly believes it is important to honor their service by ensuring that they have the full support of the state and communities throughout our Commonwealth."
- Energy and Conservation
- Excerpt: "Senator Herring believes that Virginia should be a national leader in the production and use of renewable energy."
Campaign donors
2011
In 2011, Herring received $723,937 in campaign donations. The top contributors are listed below.[25]
| Virginia State Senate 2011 election - Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Top contributors to Mark Herring's campaign in 2011 | |
| Virginia Democratic Party | 210,637 |
| Bloomberg, Michael R | 25,000 |
| Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc | 20,000 |
| America Online | 17,500 |
| Clarke-Hook Real Estate | 12,907 |
| Total Raised in 2011 | 723937 |
2007
Below are Herring's top five campaign contributors in the 2007 election:
| Contributor | 2007 total |
|---|---|
| Democratic Party of Virginia | $233,805 |
| One Virginia | $45,000 |
| Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus | $35,374 |
| Leadership for Virginia | $35,000 |
| Moving Virginia Forward | $22,671 |
State legislative career
Virginia Senate (2006-2014)
Committee assignments
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Herring served on the following committees:
- Commerce and Labor Committee
- General Laws and Technology
- Local Government
- Rehabilitation and Social Services
2010-2011
In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Herring served on the following committees:
Noteworthy events
1980s blackface costume (2019 news story)
On February 6, 2019, Herring announced that he had worn blackface to dress up as a rapper at a party at the University of Virginia in 1980. Herring said, "This was a onetime occurrence and I accept full responsibility for my conduct." Herring met with members of Virginia's Legislative Black Caucus and told reporters that "[h]onest conversations and discussions will make it clear whether I can or should continue to serve as attorney general." Herring's announcement came four days after he called on Gov. Ralph Northam (D) to resign, after a photo from Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook circulated online showing a man in blackface standing next to another in a Ku Klux Klan robe.[26]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Herring was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, on September 25, 1961. Herring is married to Laura Herring. He is a member of the Leesburg Presbyterian Church.
See also
2021 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Attorney General of Virginia |
Officeholder Attorney General of Virginia |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Jason Miyares' campaign website, "About Conservative Leader & Delegate Jason Miyares," accessed April 1, 2021
- ↑ Jason Miyares' campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 12, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Facebook, "WTKR News 3 on June 15, 2021," accessed June 22, 2021
- ↑ NPR, "Why It's Been Years Since A Va. Republican Won Statewide Office," June 13, 2018
- ↑ LoudounNow, "Randall Backs Herring Re-election Bid," March 17, 2021
- ↑ JMC Analytics and Polling reported that the party affiliations of candidates were mentioned during polling.
- ↑ JMC Analytics and Polling, "Virginia Statewide Poll Results," accessed June 23, 2021
- ↑ cnalysis, "Poll: Democrats Hold Slight Leads in 2021 Virginia Elections" June 13, 2021
- ↑ Undecided/Blank: 17%
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Opinion: The Post’s endorsements in Virginia’s Democratic primary," May 24, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Mark Herring on February 17, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Jason Miyares' campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 16, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Mark Herring on January 29, 2021," accessed April 9, 2021
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "List of Statewide Candidates," October 17, 2017
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, " Election Results – General Election – November 5, 2013," accessed November 25, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Herring wins Virginia attorney general race, elections board announces," November 25, 2013
- ↑ USA Today, "Virginia attorney general race heads to recount," November 27, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Mark Obenshain to request recount in Virginia attorney general race," November 26, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Mark Obenshain to request recount in Virginia attorney general race," November 26, 2013
- ↑ 2007 Election Results, Virginia Senate, District 33
- ↑ 2007 Campaign Spending, Virginia Senate, District 33
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mark Herring’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed April 6, 2021
- ↑ Mark Herring for Attorney General, "Priorities," accessed October 6, 2017
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2011 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ CNBC, "Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, third in line for governor, wore blackface in college," February 6, 2019
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Ken Cuccinelli (R) |
Attorney General of Virginia 2014 - Present |
Succeeded by NA |
| Preceded by W. Mims |
Virginia Senate District 33 2006-2014 |
Succeeded by Jennifer Wexton (D) |
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