12 Days of Regulatory Insights: Day 1 – Potential Impacts of 2025–2026 State AG Elections

Regulatory Oversight Podcast

In the first episode of our special 12 Days of Regulatory Insights podcast series, Ashley Taylor, co-leader of the firm's State Attorneys General (AG) team, is joined by his colleague Stephanie Kozol, senior government relations manager for the State AG team. Together, they unpack how the latest state AG outcomes shape business risk and strategy — and what's ahead in the 2026 election cycle.

Ashley and Stephanie begin by discussing two immediate developments: Virginia's AG office flips to Democratic control as Jay Jones defeats incumbent Jason Miyares, signaling likely pivots in regulatory actions; and New Jersey's gubernatorial result sets the stage for a Democratic-appointed AG and policy continuity. From there, Ashley and Stephanie look ahead to 2026, where open AG seats and several razor‑thin battlegrounds will reset enforcement priorities in health care, finance, technology, energy, and real estate. They emphasize that primary season rhetoric often previews first‑year enforcement, that senior staff transitions can materially affect investigations even when party control doesn't change, and that companies should audit strategies now while building bridges for early engagement once new AGs take office.