RICHMOND, Virginia — Jay Jones, the Democratic Virginia legal professional basic hopeful whose violence-themed textual content messages triggered a nationwide GOP backlash, stated throughout a Thursday debate that his messages mustn’t disqualify him from being elected because the state’s prime legislation enforcement official.
“I’m ashamed, I’m embarrassed and I’m sorry,” Jones stated Thursday in what would be the solely televised debate with incumbent Republican Legal professional Common Jason Miyares, who he characterised as a “willing cheerleader” of President Donald Trump.
Jones, once more apologized for his 2022 texts that had been first reported by the Nationwide Overview. Within the messages, he opined that former Virginia Republican Home Speaker Todd Gilbert ought to get “two bullets to the head” and individually that he would urinate on the graves of some state GOP delegates after they died.
In his first in depth feedback in regards to the texts, Jones sought to elucidate his actions as one thing that he’s already been held accountable for, together with by leaders of his celebration. Jones additionally stated the stakes had been too excessive for Virginia to deal with his previous errors, and recommended Miyares was taking part in politics by specializing in his previous statements — however not on language by Republicans.
Miyares condemned Jones’ texts and accused the Democrat of being unfit to function Virginia’s prime lawyer, including, “Jay Jones is a criminal first, victim last politician.”
“Jay Jones has not had the experience or the judgment to serve as the top prosecutor,” he continued. “We have seen a window to who Jay Jones is and what he thinks that people disagree with him.”
Miyares additionally slammed Jones for believing legal guidelines don’t apply to him — a reference to a current Richmond Occasions-Dispatch report reporting that Jones was caught driving 116 mph in a 70 mph zone and struck a deal to forgo jail time by paying a wonderful and performing group service. He accomplished a few of these hours whereas working at his personal political motion committee, the Occasions-Dispatch additionally reported.
Jones informed the viewers he “completed the terms of the community service as outlined and approved” by county officers at the moment.
Republicans throughout the nation, together with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have condemned Jones over the texts and attacked Democrats for supporting him. Republicans have been particularly essential of Jones’ violent rhetoric within the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in September whereas talking on the campus of Utah Valley College in Orem, Utah.
Heading into the talk, Democrats had been hopeful they might exploit their celebration’s anger towards Trumps, his dealing with of the economic system and the continuing federal authorities shutdown to win the statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor and legal professional basic — that are presently held by Republicans.
However Jones’ textual content messaging scandal is placing that in jeopardy.
Miyares, who’s in search of a second time period, is trying to capitalize on some Democrats’ unease over Jones by releasing an advert launched this week encouraging Spanberger voters to separate their tickets and “say no to Jay Jones.”
Chris LaCavita, the previous co-manager of Trump’s 2024 marketing campaign, posted on X forward of the talk: “This is what a smart campaign does” in response to the Miyares advert.
Republican strategists within the state stated they’ve been much more impressed by Miyares’ marketing campaign in comparison with Earle-Sears on the prime of the ticket, whose marketing campaign was suffering from tepid fundraising and staffing shake ups. Trump appears to agree as Miyares is the one of the three statewide GOP candidates that’s obtained his endorsement.
Jones, a former Virginia state lawmaker, is the son of distinguished judges within the state, and had been seen as a possible future governor of the state previous to the unearthing of the texts. Democrats view him as the perfect candidate to push again towards the Trump administration, who they argue has carried out irrevocable harm to the state, particularly with firings of the federal workforce by the Division of Authorities Effectivity, which disproportionately affect voters within the northern Virginia suburbs outdoors the nation’s capital.
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