Delegate Dwight Jones (D-Richmond) was overwhelmingly named the Democratic endorsee for Mayor at the Richmond City Democratic Committee meeting last night.

The Committee elected Jones by a wide margin, with nearly 70 percent selecting him to join Senator Barack Obama, Governor Mark Warner and Congressman Bobby Scott as the 2008 Democratic ticket.

“I am honored to be endorsed by the Democratic Party and to join Barack Obama, Mark Warner and Bobby Scott on the ticket,” Jones said after receiving the nomination.

“As a Democrat in the House of Delegates for 14 years, I had the opportunity to work with Governor Warner to pass his landmark tax reform legislation which lowered the food tax, increased the state’s personal exemption, and solidified state payments to nursing homes to reform our budget.”

“I was the second elected official in Virginia to endorse Barack Obama for President, and I am honored to join them in this historic year for Democrats in Virginia.”

“Together, we are going to turn Virginia blue. With Barack Obama in the White House, Mark Warner in the Senate and Dwight Jones in the Mayor’s office, Virginia and Richmond will truly have the change and partnerships needed to move our Commonwealth and city forward.”

Jones Receives the Endorsement of the Richmond Building & Construction Trades

Delegate Dwight Jones announced today the endorsement of the Richmond Building & Construction Trades Council, the regional affiliate of the Virginia Building and Construction Trades Council.

The organization is made up of the following 15 labor organizations: Asbestos Workers, Boilermakers, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Carpenters, Electrical Workers, Elevator Constructors, Ironworkers, Laborers, Millwrights, Operating Engineers, Painters and Allied Trades, Plasters and Cement Masons, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Sheetmetal Workers and the Teamsters. They represent several thousand workers in greater Richmond.

“I want to be a Mayor who works hard for hard working people,” Jones said. “The members of the Richmond Building & Construction Trades Council are the workers that keep our city moving forward and I am happy to have them endorse and join me in my campaign to bring government back to the people.”

The Building & Construction Trades Council decided to endorse Delegate Jones because of his efforts to help working people in the General Assembly. They also made their decision based on Delegate Jones’ commitment to further promoting career and technical education.

“Dwight Jones has been a friend to working people in the General Assembly and has shown he can get things done,” James “Toney” Rigali, President of the Virginia State Building & Construction Trades Council, said. “Dwight has been a consistent advocate for career and technical education. We can trust Dwight Jones to work for us in the Mayor’s office.”

William “Pettie” Phillips, President of the Richmond Building & Construction Trades Council and Asbestos Workers Local 85, interviewed Dwight Jones for his endorsement and made his decision after talking with him about the campaign.

“This Mayor’s race is very important to Richmond. The choice between the candidates couldn’t be clearer. Dwight Jones is the candidate who will stand up and work for us, the working people of Richmond,” Phillips said.

Delegate Dwight Jones announced today the endorsement of the local Richmond branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers. The NALC represents several hundred postal workers throughout Richmond.

“These are the types of citizens I want to work for in City Hall. The letter carriers are hard working men and women who are dedicated to their jobs and deserve a mayor who will work for them,” Jones said.

"The letter carriers are your neighborhood postmen. They are the people you see everyday walking down your street, and up the front steps of your home delivering your mail. They are a part of every community in Richmond and I am so pleased to have their support.”

The Letter Carriers decided to endorse Delegate Jones because they felt he was the only candidate in the race that will look out for the needs of working people in Richmond. In their endorsement process, they took into account his work in the General Assembly and his commitment to community.

“Delegate Jones has been a friend of working people in the General Assembly and he will be the working man’s Mayor,” Ronald Hinton, President of the local branch of the NALC said. “We are proud to stand with him in his race for Mayor and will work as hard as we can to get him elected.”