Howard E. Gwynn is a candidate for Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney and is running as a Democratic. His name will appear on the June 17, 2025 ballot. Gwynn is the incumbent, running against challenger Shannon M. Jones in the June primary. The winner will appear on the ballot for the General Election on Nov. 4.
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10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Name: Howard E. Gwynn
Age: 72
Website: https://www.howardgwynn.com
Biography
I was born and raised in the southeast community of Newport News during a time of racial segregation. It was a time when “equal justice for all” was not always a reality. Balancing the scales of justice has always been a driving force for me. Also, having a servant’s heart for this community was something instilled in me by my mother and reinforced by people like Flora Crittenden, my guidance counselor in High School.
I graduated valedictorian from George W. Carver High School. And graduated with honors in Philosophy from Dartmouth College. I then earned my law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. I came home, and tried to live by the words my mother told me, “the rent you pay for the blessing of life is service.” This community raised me, and I’ve spent my life trying to repay that debt.
I started as an assistant prosecutor and, for over 30 years, it has been my honor to serve as your Commonwealth’s Attorney. I lead a team of more than 75 professionals whose goal is to make sure that the criminal justice system works for everyone – for survivors of crime, for their families, and for defendants who are trying to rebuild their lives.
We were among the first in Virginia to launch drug courts, trauma-informed programs for victims, and behavioral health dockets—because real justice means healing, not just punishment.
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running because seeking justice and serving this community isn’t just a job to me — it’s my life’s calling and the mission is not over. For over 30 years, I’ve led this office with integrity — not seeking recognition but delivering results. We have built a culture here based on this community’s values: honesty, integrity, fairness, justice, compassion, empathy, community, and most importantly strong faith.
In this election, there is far too much on the line for me to simply walk away. Unlike some, I have a wealth of courtroom experience and have not changed jobs every few years. My commitment to this community has been unwavering. I have successfully led one of the largest law firms in our city – the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
I didn’t just start talking about public safety and social justice — I’ve spent decades fighting for both. This community deserves proven, effective, leadership and I’ve done the work.
Why are you qualified to hold this office?
I’ve successfully done the work for over 30 years as Commonwealth’s Attorney – in the courtroom, in the community, and in the quiet moments when real justice gets decided. I’ve prosecuted thousands of cases, including hundreds of jury trials and 70 homicide cases. I’ve stood beside victims in their darkest hours, and made the tough calls this job requires. I’ve trained prosecutors across Virginia and 15 of our co-workers have gone on to be Judges. I’ve earned the trust of judges, police officers, families, survivors, and other attorneys. I’ve successfully led this office from just 14 employees to 75 dedicated public servants working with passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment.
But none of that means anything if you don’t understand the people behind the cases. What qualifies me isn’t just my record — it’s it is my deep and abiding commitment to this community that raised me. It’s the parents whose pain I’ve shared. It’s the people who have been transformed from victims to victors. It’s the defendants who have been given a second chance and who have taken full advantage of it. It’s the moments no one sees, when justice isn’t about a hashtag — it’s about real people living real lives.
This job demands more than slogans — it demands presence, experience, commitment, proven leadership, and the strength to keep moving forward. That means moving forward no matter the emotional costs you pay for giving your all to make this system work fairly and compassionately for everyone. That’s what I’ve done for over 30 years. And that’s what I’ll keep doing — for the people of Newport News.
What do you see as the largest obstacle in obtaining convictions in your city?
Justice isn’t only about obtaining convictions. Sometimes the right outcome is to drop a case or allow someone to enter a recovery program and avoid a conviction altogether. It isn’t my goal to increase convictions; it’s to reduce the need for them. One of the biggest challenges we face isn’t in the courtroom — it’s in the community. For too long, too many people have felt unheard, unseen, and unprotected. When you’ve lived through injustice, believing in justice doesn’t come easy. But trust isn’t something you ask for — it’s something you earn. You earn it by listening. By being transparent. By standing up for victims and survivors. By holding people accountable while still fighting for fairness, reconciliation, and healing. That’s why we’ve created programs and reforms that reflect the realities our people face — not just policies on paper.
How do balance enforcing the laws on the books while not disproportionally affecting historically marginalized communities?
You start by seeing the people behind the cases — their stories, their struggles, their humanity. We not only focus on prosecuting violent offenders, but we also understand that prevention, intervention, and healing are essential parts of the criminal justice system. We built drug courts, mental health dockets, and trauma-informed programs because real justice doesn’t treat everyone the same with blanket policies — it treats people according to what they need ad individuals to move forward.
Fairness isn’t enough. Justice has to be smart, compassionate, and rooted in the realities our community lives every day. We do that. The prosecutors that work for me have an average of 11 years of experience in criminal law – that’s more than my opponent in this election has. And those experienced prosecutors are empowered to do the right thing in every case and treat each person as an individual. The outcome in any case must be designed to focus on the individual circumstances of the people involved – every victim and every defendant.
Is there anything you would like to work with the Attorney General on that the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office currently isn’t doing?
A cornerstone of the ability to be a successful Commonwealth’s Attorney is the ability to build effective, long-term relationships with our law enforcement partners. For over 30 years, I have built those relationships with various Virginia state attorneys general. Together, we have worked tirelessly and effectively to make our community safer. Because of those relationships through the years, the Attorney General’s Office has often proved a strong partner with us in community safety, including in the currently pending case against Carlos Johnson, who is charged with the murder of Keir Johnson and her 9-month-old daughter, Chloe. In that case, the Attorney General has provided three prosecutors to work alongside my team of four prosecutors and help get justice for that family.
