If L. Douglas Wilder decides to seek re-election
as mayor of Richmond, he’ll have some familiar
competition-Virginia Delegate Dwight C. Jones.
Jones, a Democrat who has served in the Virginia
House since 1994, announced his candidacy for
mayor Wednesday afternoon at a press conference
in front of Binford Middle School in Richmond’s
Fan District.
“It’s time for a change,” he said.
The mayoral election is slated for Nov. 4, and
candidates must file by June 10. Paul Goldman, a
political consultant and former Wilder aide, and
Jackie Jackson, a former member of the Richmond
City Council, already have entered the race. Wilder,
a former governor, has yet to announce whether
he will run.
Jones is no stranger to the city of Richmond. He
graduated from Virginia Union University in 1970
and has spent the past 14 years representing the 70th
House District, which covers parts of Richmond,
Chesterfield County and Henrico County. He also
has chaired the Richmond School Board.
“I appreciate that Doug Wilder and Paul Goldman
and their team came together to give us the new
form of government,” Jones said. But he said, “It’s
time for us (the city of Richmond) to go to the next
level, and I want to take us to the next level.”
In 2003, Wilder spearheaded the installation of a
“strong mayor” system in which the mayor replaced
the city manager as Richmond’s chief executive and
received veto power over City Council decisions.
Wilder then ran in the inaugural election for mayor
and won handily.
Jones said that if he were elected mayor, he would
focus on six key areas: