Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares faced off against his Democratic opponent Jay Jones in a heated debate on Thursday. After the debate, Miyares took to Fox News to criticize Jones, claiming he wouldn’t pass a background check if he were applying for a job as a line prosecutor in any attorney general’s office across the country.
Miyares highlighted controversial text messages sent by Jones in 2022, in which Jones expressed violent sentiments towards former Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert. In these messages, Jones wished death on Gilbert and made derogatory comments about his family, calling them “breeding little fascists.” He also made a shocking remark about wanting to “piss” on Republican graves. During the debate, Jones expressed remorse, saying, “I’m ashamed, I’m embarrassed, and I’m sorry.” However, Miyares countered that if Jones truly felt sorry, he wouldn’t be running for attorney general.
Miyares also pointed out Jones’s reckless driving conviction from 2022, where he was caught speeding at 116 mph in a 70 mph zone. While three others in a similar situation received jail time, Jones did not face any serious consequences, completing community service hours for his own political action committee instead. Miyares remarked on the leniency shown to Jones, suggesting that his status as a politician influenced the court’s decision.
The fallout from Jones’s text messages appears to have shifted the dynamics of the race. Polls show that Jones, who previously led Miyares, has now fallen behind by 0.3% following the scandal. This change in public opinion has also affected Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, whose opponent, Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, has criticized her for not addressing Jones’s remarks when questioned.
As the election approaches, both candidates are under increasing scrutiny, and the debate has intensified the focus on their past actions and statements.
