Is Henrico's Commonwealth's Attorney running for state attorney general?

Is Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor planning a run for Virginia Attorney General?

Taylor told the Citizen Friday night that she hasn’t made an announcement, but an email sent to potential supporters earlier Friday night by David Rook invited donations for such a campaign and was titled “Shannon Taylor, Virginia’s Next Attorney General.”

In the email, Rook, who described himself as a good friend of Taylor, encouraged recipients to support Taylor “in her bid to become Virginia’s next Attorney General in 2021.”

Taylor, a Democrat, had not yet responded by late Friday night when asked to comment about the email.

Rook’s email seemed to leave little doubt about Taylor’s plans, though.

“I am asking you to join me and please contribute to her campaign now,” he wrote. “I strongly believe Shannon’s inclusive perspective, criminal justice expertise and overall vision will greatly benefit all Virginians, and our overall quality of life, as our next Attorney General.”

Rook urged donors to contribute to the campaign by June 30, the next campaign finance reporting deadline.

The website on which donors are asked to contribute to Taylor’s campaign says it is paid for by ActBlue.com, a Democratic donor site, but directly above that statement is another one that reads “Paid for and Authorized by Shannon Taylor for Virginia.”

A website – http://shannontaylorva.com – is live, and Taylor’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts all carry the same “shannontaylorva” names.

Virginia's current attorney general, Mark Herring, is planning to run for governor in 2021.

Taylor is in the first year of her third four-year term as Henrico’s Commonwealth Attorney, after having won re-election for a second time in November. She swept into office in a surprising victory in 2011, defeating Republican nominee Matt Geary (whose party had pulled its endorsement of him after marriage infidelity issues became public) and former Republican Delegate Bill Janis, who ran as an independent. In 2015, she defeated Republican Tony Pham to retain her seat, and then last November she bested Republican Owen Conway.