On Oct. 16, 2025, Virginia’s attorney general race takes center stage with a critical debate at the University of Richmond between incumbent Republican Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones. Jones’ leaked 2022 texts, containing violent rhetoric, have ignited a firestorm in this tight contest.
According to The Hill, in those messages, Jones chillingly wrote about “three people, two bullets,” targeting former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) with “two bullets” over historical tyrants. He also suggested it would take Gilbert’s wife cradling dying children to shift on gun laws.
Jones issued apologies via a statement and a WRIC interview in Richmond, but the damage lingers. Republicans, already incensed by leftist violence after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, demand he exit the race immediately.
Before apologizing, Jones accused Miyares of spreading lies through media tied to President Donald Trump, a claim widely panned. Virginia Republicans are capitalizing on this misstep to bolster candidates like Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears against Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Abigail Spanberger.
President Trump himself condemned Jones on Truth Social, endorsing Miyares in the process. Beyond Virginia, GOP figures like Vice President Vance have seized the issue, noting on X that Jones’ words were “far worse” than a controversial Republican group chat.
“Republicans have rightfully condemned the group chat messages, while Democrats have doubled down in their support of Jones,” posted Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on X. From a conservative view, this blind loyalty exposes a troubling double standard on accountability.
Democrats, including Spanberger, continue backing Jones despite criticizing his remarks. On Oct. 15, 2025, the Virginia Democratic Party deflected, demanding Earle-Sears address a separate racist text scandal among young Republicans.
Miyares gains a clear edge from this controversy, especially in a race deemed the closest of Virginia’s top three contests. Post-scandal polls from Decision Desk HQ show both candidates tied at 46.4 percent after recent internal surveys.
Before the leak, Miyares lagged slightly in polls but led in funds, amassing over $13 million with $7 million remaining, per the Virginia Public Access Project. Jones raised nearly $9 million, holding over $3 million in reserve.
Republicans hope voters split tickets in the governor and attorney general races, unseen since 2005. They see this scandal as a golden chance to fracture Democratic support in a pivotal election year.
Jones and Spanberger gain some ground running post-2024, after Trump’s loss in Virginia, where his federal workforce critiques may repel Northern Virginia voters. Democrats frame Miyares as a mere extension of Trump’s agenda, regardless of state leadership. On Oct. 15, 2025, Jones’ campaign slammed Miyares for failing to shield Virginians from Trump’s shutdown and overreach. Yet, conservatives might argue this sidesteps Jones’ own reckless rhetoric, a far graver concern for law enforcement leadership.
“This will probably be the most watched attorney general debate we see this cycle or in recent cycles because of how much attention this crazy October surprise has gotten,” said GOP strategist Matt Whitlock. From a right-leaning lens, it’s a stage to expose Democratic hypocrisy.
The past two weeks have battered Jones with GOP attacks and relentless media focus. The Oct. 16, 2025, debate offers him a shot to clarify his stance while pressing Miyares on Trump ties in a state skeptical of the president.
With a larger-than-usual audience tuning in across and beyond Virginia, this clash transcends state politics. Miyares stands poised to leverage Jones’ misstep, while conservatives watch if Democrats’ gamble on a tarnished candidate backfires spectacularly.