Call him former Delegate Jay Jones.

The rising star in the Virginia Democratic Party surprised everyone with his announcement on Dec. 16 that he was resigning his Norfolk seat in the General Assembly, effective Dec. 31.

The unexpected move from a key member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is already triggering a quick election in the 89th House District and a rush of candidates to replace him in the General Assembly before the start of the next session in three weeks.

Delegate Jones, who first won election in 2017 to the seat once held by his father, Norfolk Circuit Court Judge Jerrauld C. Jones, had just won re-election to a third term in November.

Earlier in the year, he tried and failed to wrest the Democratic nomination for attorney general from incumbent Mark R. Herring, who won the party primary but lost in the general election to another former delegate, Republican Jason Miyares of Virginia Beach.

In the resignation letter he emailed to constituents, Delegate Jones indicated that he might make another bid for attorney Delegate Jones general in 2025.

His explanation for his departure is that he wants to spend time preparing with his wife for the birth of their first child next year.

“I’m 32, a practicing attorney and have given everything I have in my soul to serving Norfolk and the Commonwealth since 2017,” he stated. “But my new job-to-be is as a father, and I’m ready to make that the highest priority in my life.”

Democrats are facing a daunting upcoming legislative session after voters in the November election put Republicans back in charge of the 100-member House of Delegates. The GOP will hold a 52-seat majority, ensuring that reforms that Delegate Jones and other Democrats were prepared to champion are likely to have little prospect of passage.

Outgoing House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn has set the election for Delegate Jones’ seat for Tuesday, Jan. 11. Already, three Democrats and one Republican, Giovanni Dolmo, have filed to run. Democrats were to choose their nominee Thursday, Dec. 24, from Jackie Glass, Alicia Smith and Danté Walton.