Politicians in Richmond are already gearing up for 2017 elections -- Delegate Rob Bell announced Thursday afternoon that he’s running for Virginia Attorney General.
Delegate Bell, a republican from Albermarle County, ran for his party’s nomination in 2013 but lost to Republican Senator Mark Obenshain -- Obenshain then went on to lose the general election to Democrat Mark Herring. Herring will be in the office until 2017.
The Attorney General is an important player in state politics, interpreting and enforcing the state’s laws. Bell says, if elected, he wouldn’t let his political opinions get in the way of that job.
“My job is to take the law, and if I don’t like it then that’s not really a basis for not representing the commonwealth.”
The Attorney General also represents the state -- picking which battles to fight with the federal government. Bell says that he believes in a limited federal government.
“I would not hesitate for one second, I believe that’s part of the job -- representing Virginia against federal overreach or against a law that’s not proper.”
Current Attorney General Mark Herring has already announced that he’ll also be running for the office.
