The sole debate between Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic opponent Jay Jones featured the Republican incumbent repeatedly lambasting his competitor over violent text messages he sent years ago.
The attorney general race ratcheted up in recent weeks after it was revealed that Jones sent text messages suggesting former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert should receive “two bullets to the head.”
Miyares quickly brought up the issue during the one-hour debate.
“Jay Jones was angry at Todd Gilbert. Why? Because Todd Gilbert said kind words about a Democrat that had passed away, Joe Johnson,” Miyares said Thursday evening at the debate hosted by the University of Richmond. “Jay Jones had said that he wanted to piss on the grave of his political opponents, and what did he want to do to Todd Gilbert? Two bullets to the head. Why? Because he didn’t like his politics.”
“What’s worse, he wanted Jennifer Gilbert, a mother with two small children, ages 2 and 5,” Miyares continued. “He said that he hoped to see their children die in their arms. Why? Because in his own words, he said that pain is the only way that change can occur.”
Republicans, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have condemned Jones and called for his exit from the attorney general race, which Miyares echoed on Thursday.
“There is a reason why the Fraternal Order Police, the PBA [Virginia Police Benevolent Association], and every single major law enforcement association in the state of Virginia has not just endorsed me, Jay,” Miyares said. “They’ve said you need to drop out. And I find it a little bit stunning that today you say one of the pillars of your public safety platform is protecting children. Were you protecting Jennifer’s children when you said you wanted to see them die in their mother’s arms?”
Miyares quickly announced a $1.5 million ad campaign highlighting Jones’s texts in the uproar of the scandal.
He also released a new ad this week, courting supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, who condemned the text messages during her debate last week against Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger notably did not call on Jones to exit the race.
Jones immediately apologized for his actions mere moments after the debate started.
“Let me be very clear. I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry. I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert,” he said. “I am sorry to his family. I am sorry to my family, and I am sorry to every single Virginian.”
“I cannot take back what I said, but you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes, and you also have my word that I will spend every waking moment fighting for you,” Jones continued.
The Democratic nominee repeatedly sought to link Miyares to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Miyares after the text message scandal broke. Trump has never won the commonwealth in his three presidential campaigns and remains unpopular in the Old Dominion due to his administration’s cuts to the federal workforce, which have affected many Virginians.
“When Donald Trump fires workers, defunds our schools, and levies tariffs that destroy our regional economies, sends armed troops into cities, and defunds law enforcement, he has a willing cheerleader here in Jason Miyares who will not step up to sue,” Jones said.
“We have to hold this administration accountable, and as your attorney general, I will do just that. Jason hangs out with … Trump at MAGA rallies,” Jones later said. “I will see Jason Miyares and Donald Trump in court as your next attorney general because that’s what this job requires.”
Miyares deflected those attacks, claiming Jones was more concerned about a higher office.
“I’ve always put Virginians first. But the reality is Jay Jones is not a prosecutor. He is a politician. He wants to turn this into a political office,” Miyares said. “He wants to fight the fights in Washington. My interest is fighting the fights and putting the bad guys away, out of our streets. That has been our record. That was my promise to you. This office is an executive office. If Jay Jones wants to fight the fights in Washington, he should run for Congress, but he’s running for the wrong office.”
The attorney general then pivoted to calling on Jones to exit the race. “And I have to make this observation: He keeps saying that he is sorry,” Miyares said. “Jay, if you’re really sorry, you wouldn’t be running.”
Miyares also quickly grew tired of Jones discussing Trump as the debate wore on.
“There he goes again. Fifteen times he said the name of the president. Not one time has he said the name of a victim. That tells me he’s a politician, not a prosecutor. He’s never prosecuted a day in his life,” Miyares said. “That’s the reason why law enforcement has said he has disqualified himself. Virginians, we could do better than a left-wing politician trying to seek a promotion.”
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The two candidates are nearly tied in the attorney general race, according to a RealClearPolitics poll composite, as Miyares sits at 46.3%, barely above Jones at 46%.
Early voting began in Virginia on Sept. 19 and goes through Nov. 1, allowing voters more than two weeks to continue before the election.