Jay Jones Wins Virginia Attorney General Race Despite Violent Text Scandal

Democrat Jay Jones has defeated incumbent Republican Jason Miyares to become Virginia’s next attorney general — a stunning and polarizing outcome following a late-campaign scandal in which Jones was revealed to have fantasized about murdering Republicans and their families.

Jones won the race with just over 52% of the vote, running slightly behind Democrat gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, who cruised to victory over Winsome Earle-Sears. The two Democrats will now lead a party that appears poised to control all three statewide offices and both chambers of the Virginia legislature.

Jones’s campaign nearly unraveled in October after National Review uncovered 2021 text messages he sent to a Republican lawmaker. In one of the most shocking texts, Jones said that if he had two bullets and was in a room with Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot, and a Virginia Republican, he’d shoot the Republican twice. He also expressed a desire to see the children of then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert “die in their mother’s arms” and said he hoped police officers would die as well — because it would help him politically.

Despite the revelations, most Democrat voters either overlooked or dismissed the comments. In one pre-election poll, just 3% of Democrats said Jones’ remarks made them more likely to support him, but the vast majority said they didn’t matter enough to change their vote. The scandal broke too late in the race for some voters, especially early voters, to reconsider their choices.

Jones was also convicted of driving 116 mph earlier in his career and completed his court-mandated community service through his own political action committee, which is now the subject of a formal investigation.

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus rallied hard behind Jones, pouring millions into the race after the scandal broke and solidifying support among Democrat base voters. Though initially unrepentant, Jones issued a half-hearted apology only after pressure from Spanberger and other top Democrats threatened to crater the entire ticket.

Republican Jason Miyares had hoped voters would draw a line between party loyalty and decency. “This election now is really a referendum on the Virginia Way,” Miyares said in an interview last month. “Is it now dead?”

Though Miyares entered the race with a strong record and a Cuban immigrant backstory that resonated with many Virginians, the broader Democrat momentum — coupled with the sheer volume of cash backing Jones — proved too much to overcome.

Jones, the son of a former judge and Virginia politician, repeatedly tried to nationalize the race by invoking President Trump instead of focusing on Miyares’ record. It was a strategy that helped blunt criticism and keep the focus off his own record.

Now, as attorney general, Jones will have oversight of key areas like election integrity and corporate enforcement. Though many prosecutions in Virginia fall to county-level district attorneys, the AG’s office plays a critical role in shaping legal and political priorities statewide.

Miyares had predicted that this race would test Virginia’s tolerance for rhetoric and extremism. Based on Tuesday’s results, the answer is clear: most voters looked the other way.