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FULL VIDEO: Jay Jones victory speech as attorney general-elect
Jay Jones gave his victory speech after being the projected winner for Virginia's attorney general.
WASHINGTON - Democratic candidate Jay Jones has won the race for Virginia attorney general against Republican incumbent Jason Miyares.
Overcoming obstacles
A campaign controversy:
The last month of Jones’ campaign was plagued by the surfacing of 2022 texts in which he mused about shooting a Republican lawmaker.
The National Review published the texts from Jones, sent to a Republican lawmaker back in 2022.
In the messages, Jones commented about former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, saying, "three people two bullets…Gilbert, Hitler, and Polpot…Gilbert gets two bullets to the head."
After the messages came to light, Jones released a statement, saying in part: "I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family. Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry."
Despite the setback, Jones beat out Miyares at the ballot box Tuesday.
On the issues
Saving you money:
In a June interview with FOX 5’s Jim Lokay, Jones said he was focused on "Virginians’ pocketbooks."
"We're going after the price gougers, we're going after the corporate polluters, we’re going after the folks who are making us all less safe and less secure, and that we are protecting civil rights and civil liberties, because that's what's at stake in this election," said Jones.
Who is Jay Jones?
What we know:
Jones, 36, was born in Norfolk, VA and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia. He served two terms in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2018 to 2022.
Since leaving the Virginia House of Delegates, Jones told FOX 5 DC that he’s been working "in the private sector, litigating in court against Governor Youngkin and Jason Miyares on behalf of folks like the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP to protect voting rights."
This wasn't the first time Jones has tried to run for Virginia attorney general – he announced his candidacy in 2020, but lost the Democratic primary to Mark Herring.