Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to Run for Lieutenant Governor

Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has dropped out of the 2025 race for the Democratic nomination for governor and will instead run for lieutenant governor.

In a statement, he said he wanted to avoid a costly and damaging primary. Stoney would have faced off against Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger for the Democratic nomination.

“After careful consideration with my family, I believe that the best way to ensure that all Virginia families do get the change they deserve is for our party to come together, avoid a costly and damaging primary and, for me to run instead for lieutenant governor,” Stoney said in a release to media during the morning on Tuesday, April 23.

Stoney announced his 2025 run for governor back in December. He said this morning that the decision to drop out would help prevent “an ugly primary for governor.”

“Given everything at stake in the next Governor’s race — from reproductive rights to education funding and tax fairness — I believe this is a time when Democrats must stand united and avoid an ugly primary for governor,” Stoney said.