Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squared off over a set of violent and incendiary text messages sent by Jones.
Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squared off in their first and only debate Thursday over a set of violent and incendiary text messages sent by Jones — an issue that has overtaken the race and vaulted it to national prominence.
Miyares, an incumbent running for reelection, pushed hard against Jones for the leaked texts, which included messages to a Republican delegate in which Jones said that former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get “two bullets to the head.”
Referencing a quote from President Abraham Lincoln, Miyares started the debate 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.”
Jones apologized for his words from the start.
“Let me be very clear”, he said. “I am ashamed, I am embarrassed and I’m sorry.”
Still, the Democrat rebuffed Miyares by noting that violent rhetoric can be heard on both sides of the aisle, and that President Trump has been known to use extreme language at times.
“What about when Donald Trump used incendiary language to incite a riot to try to overturn an election here in this country?” Jones said, adding, “You haven’t said a word. I’ve taken accountability for my mistakes. It’s time you take accountability, too.
