Democrat Jay Jones wins Virginia attorney general race despite 2022 violent text message scandal

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Democrat Jay Jones won Virginia’s race for attorney general on Tuesday, November 4, as projected by NBC News, despite a scandal over leaked text messages in which he allegedly fantasized about killing a Republican lawmaker and his family.

The Democrat’s remarks shook the final weeks of the campaign and drew condemnation from both sides of the aisle, though there were few calls from fellow Democrats for Jones to drop out. 

Jay Jones wins tight Virginia attorney general race

Jones’ victory on Tuesday was one of the most closely watched races of the night, as analysts examined whether Virginia Democrats would split their ticket following the text message scandal.

However, any ticket-splitting proved insufficient to sway the outcome. The result capped a tumultuous final month marked by national Republican condemnation, Democratic hesitation and equivocation, and a barrage of attack ads.

 Despite the controversy, voters delivered a narrow win for Jones over Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, who had served as attorney general since 2022.

Jay Jones admits to violent texts targeting GOP lawmaker

The text message scandal, which upended an otherwise staid attorney general race, stemmed from 2022 messages that Jones sent to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner.

In the violent texts, he imagined a hypothetical scenario in which, given two bullets and the choice of shooting Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot, or then–House Speaker Todd Gilbert, he chose Gilbert, twice.

Moreover, he referred to Gilbert and his wife as “breeding little fascists.” Jones admitted to sending the messages after National Review published screenshots in early October.

“I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry,” he said in a statement, adding, “I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.”

He later said he had reached out to Gilbert’s family to apologize directly. The scandal quickly engulfed the race. Miyares’ campaign responded with aggressive attack ads, and national Republicans joined the criticism.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and House Speaker Mike Johnson all called for Jones to withdraw. Meanwhile, the Republican Governors Association funneled more than $1.5 million into Virginia’s down-ballot races to support Miyares and link Jones to other Democrats.