Jay Jones will become Virginia’s next attorney general, CNN projects, overcoming disclosure of violent text messages
By Eva McKend, CNN
(CNN) — Democrat Jay Jones will win the race to become Virginia’s next attorney general, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, overcoming the disclosure of text messages in which he suggested a former legislative colleague should be shot.
Jones will unseat Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who was seeking reelection and sharply criticized Jones for sending the text messages. Jones frequently apologized after the National Review disclosed the texts and prominent Virginia Democrats declined to withdraw their endorsements even as they criticized what he had said.
His victory suggests enough voters were willing to tolerate the texts – or were unaware of the story – in elevating a candidate they believe will fight on behalf of their interests.
In a private exchange between Jones and Republican Virginia House Delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones griped about how Todd Gilbert, the then-Republican speaker of the state’s House of Delegates, was paying tribute to a former moderate Democratic lawmaker who died, according to screenshots of text messages obtained by CNN.
“Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” the text reads in part, referring to Gilbert and the two dictators. Jones went on to say in the text messages that Gilbert and his wife are “breeding little fascists” in reference to Gilbert’s children, the National Review reported.
Jones repeatedly apologized and said he was embarrassed. But he moved to tie Miyares to President Donald Trump, arguing the state needed a fighter who would stand up for Virginians impacted by the actions of the Trump administration. A former assistant attorney general and father of two boys, he often invoked his family’s legacy of service as motivation for his own career. His father, Jerrauld Jones, was a longtime judge for Norfolk’s circuit court and a member of the House of Delegates.
Miyares ran a campaign that framed himself as a tough-on-crime candidate and the “people’s protector,” more concerned about achieving public safety than partisan priorities. But Miyares also won Trump’s endorsement and had a record of fighting in office for Republican-backed ideas. He previously served as a prosecutor in the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Office and in the Virginia House of Delegates.
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