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The Democratic trio includes former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, the party鈥檚 nominee for governor; state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, the Democratic lieutenant governor nominee; and former Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, the party鈥檚 nominee for attorney general.

The three nominees greeted about 100 attendees at Richmond鈥檚 Abner Clay Park on a hot and sunny afternoon at the kickoff of Spanberger's 40-plus-stop, eight-day .

The Republican ticket has still not appeared together in public. In April,聽 Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, John Reid, to step down after discovering a Tumblr account that Youngkin thought was Reid's which showed nude pictures of men.

Reid denied the account was his and defied Youngkin's request, remaining in the contest. Open warfare ensued as Reid accused Youngkin鈥檚 political team of extorting him and seeking 鈥渁 coup against a gay man whom they didn鈥檛 want to be their nominee but didn鈥檛 have the guts to run against.鈥�

Reid that he still had not heard from Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor. Later that day, Reid and Earle-Sears spoke on the phone for the first time in eight weeks, according to Reid and Earle-Sears' campaigns, which did not share any details of the call.

Reid is the first openly gay statewide nominee in Virginia and Earle-Sears has聽 .

At Saturday鈥檚 event, the statewide Democratic nominees all hugged each other and emphasized their unity.

Spanberger told reporters after the event: 鈥淚'm excited that on our side of the aisle, we are unified, certainly not just in our respect for one another and our communication, but in fact in the policies that we wish to pursue.鈥�

Spanberger spoke highly of her running mates. Hashmi has served in the state Senate since 2020. Jones, who sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2021, served in the House of Delegates from 2018 through 2021.

鈥淗ashmi, as a legislator who has served in the General Assembly, in the state Senate, who has led the education committee in the state Senate, herself, a career educator, brings an incredible understanding of issues that are important as it relates to education," Spanberger said.

"She brings a strong understanding overall of the state Senate, and will do the job of lieutenant governor well,鈥� Spanberger said.

Of Jones, Spanberger said he 鈥渂rings fantastic experience, certainly in the House of Delegates, that experience as a legislator, but also his time as an assistant attorney general (in Washington D.C.), his ability and his understanding of how to utilize the law to the benefit of Virginians, I think is important.鈥�