Jay Jones ties Miyares to Trump as VA attorney general bid falters
Democratic Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones is attempting to revive his struggling campaign by running his first ad as being embroiled in controversy over violent text messages he sent in 2022. In the ad, Jones attacks his Republican opponent, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, by linking him to former President Donald Trump and criticizing Miyares for supporting policies that Jones argues harm Virginians, such as promoting an abortion ban and endorsing economic and healthcare issues. The scandal involving jones’ texts, which included calls for violence against a Republican state House Speaker and his family, has damaged his standing in the polls, with some showing him trailing Miyares. President Trump has publicly condemned Jones, calling him an “animal” and questioning his fitness to run for office.Despite the turmoil,recent internal polling by Jones’ campaign suggests a tight race,though independent polls show Miyares with a lead as election day approaches.
Jay Jones goes on offensive, ties Miyares to Trump as Virginia attorney general bid falters after text scandal
Democratic Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones on Monday sought to revive his campaign by launching his first ad buy since becoming the subject of national controversy due to violent text messages he sent.
Just weeks before voters head to the polls, Jones highlighted his Republican rival’s ties to President Donald Trump in the 30-second video, arguing that incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares has “cheered on” the president on a number of issues he framed as damaging to Virginians.
“No one has done more for Trump in Virginia than Jason Miyares,” a narrator says in the video. “Workers fired, prices soaring, health care slashed. And Jason Miyares cheers them on, even pushing for a Virginia abortion ban.”
The six-figure, statewide ad buy targeting Miyares follows Jones’s drop in the polls after the Democratic candidate faced sweeping scrutiny for text messages he sent in 2022 calling for then-Republican state House Speaker Todd Gilbert to receive “two bullets to the head.”
Miyares has since apologized for the messages, in which he also said Gilbert and his wife were “breeding little fascists” and appeared to suggest he hoped their children “would die.”
However, the controversy took a toll on his campaign, as Republicans jumped on the scandal to argue Jones is an inappropriate candidate to be Virginia’s next attorney general.
Trump called Jones an “animal that wanted to kill somebody” on Sunday during comments to reporters aboard Air Force One.
“He’s a third-rate intellect, he’s a guy who — I’ve never seen anybody say what he said, that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children — he wanted to kill his opponent,” Trump said. “I can’t imagine anybody voting for Jay Jones. Look, you would think he’s totally discredited. I would think he wouldn’t even be allowed to do that; anybody would be put in prison for what he said.”
The Hill’s latest Decision Desk HQ polling average released last week showed Jones and Miyares tied with 46.4% support.
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Two other polls from the Trafalgar Group and Republican Attorneys General Association show Miyares leading his Democratic rival. The Trafalgar Group polling showed support for Jones slipped from 48.8% in early October to 43.1%.
The Jones campaign has highlighted internal polling showing him leading Miyares by 1 percentage point.
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