Virginia Republican Lawyer Common Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squared off of their first and solely debate Thursday over a set of violent and incendiary textual content messages despatched by Jones — a problem that has overtaken the race and vaulted it to nationwide prominence.
Miyares, an incumbent working for reelection, pushed onerous in opposition to Jones for the leaked texts, which included messages to a Republican delegate during which Jones stated that former Virginia Republican Home Speaker Todd Gilbert ought to get “two bullets to the head.”
Referencing a quote from President Abraham Lincoln, Miyares began the talk by saying: “Character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching. But now we know what he (Jones) was doing in the dark.”
Democrat Jay Jones, left, and Republican incumbent Jason Miyares shake palms in the beginning of the Virginia lawyer basic debate in Richmond on Oct. 16, 2025.
Mike Kropf/Richmond Instances-Dispatch through AP, Pool
Jones apologized for his phrases from the beginning.
“Let me be very clear,” he stated. “I am ashamed, I am embarrassed and I’m sorry.”
Nonetheless, the Democrat rebuffed Miyares by noting that violent rhetoric could be heard on either side of the aisle, and that President Trump has been identified to make use of excessive language at instances.
“What about when Donald Trump used incendiary language to incite a riot to try to overturn an election here in this country?” Jones stated, including, “You haven’t said a word. I’ve taken accountability for my mistakes. It’s time you take accountability, too.”
The race for Virginia lawyer basic has emerged as one of the crucial aggressive statewide contests on this 12 months’s election, with members of each events taking an curiosity within the down-ballot race.
Whereas Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has confronted setbacks in her race for governor, as has John Reid, the GOP lieutenant governor nominee, the lawyer basic’s race stays fiercely aggressive. Final week, it spilled over into the governor’s race when former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, refused to say throughout a debate whether or not she nonetheless supported Jones’ candidacy, suggesting it was as much as the voters to resolve.
Jones and Miyares tangled over the violent textual content message for a lot of the talk. The best way Miyares informed it, Jones’ texts about capturing a distinguished Republican disqualified him from the race to be Virginia’s lead prosecutor. Miyares additionally hit Jones over a reported 2022 reckless driving conviction.
“Jay, if you were to apply to be a line prosecutor … you would not pass a background check,” Miyares stated.
Requested by a moderator how voters can belief him, Jones acknowledged that he “made very great mistakes” however was held accountable for them.
Jones, in flip, spent a lot of his time arguing that Miyares lacked the nerve to sue the White Home if the Trump administration overreached, saying Miyares “won’t hold the president accountable.”
“Jason hangs out with Donald Trump at MAGA rallies,” Jones stated. “I will see Jason Miyares and Donald Trump in court as your next attorney general.”
The candidates tackled different authorized issues more likely to contain the lawyer basic’s workplace, together with the enforcement of Virginia’s clear power legislation and the scope of Virginia’s Human Rights Act, a state legislation prohibiting discrimination.
Miyares and Jones additionally exchanged jabs on which candidate would do a greater job of conserving Virginians protected. Miyares argued that Jones lacked the expertise to carry criminals to account, citing a narrative by The Richmond Instances-Dispatch of a Virginia state trooper clocking Jones dashing 116 miles per hour, resulting in a reckless driving conviction.
Jones, for his half, touted his file serving as a delegate within the Virginia Home, the place he stated he supported laws cracking down on intercourse offenders and human trafficking. He additionally referenced his expertise going after ghost gun producers whereas working within the lawyer basic’s workplace for the District of Columbia.
At one level, a moderator from the Virginia State Bar requested the candidates how they considered the lawyer basic’s workplace — as a political or authorized one.
“It’s clearly a legal one, and that’s exactly why we have to hold the president accountable, go after Donald Trump and the bad actions of this administration,” Jones eagerly responded.
Miyares side-stepped the query, saying it’s an workplace there to guard Virginians.
“Jay Jones wants fights in Washington,” he stated. “He’s running for the wrong office.”
