Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares swiftly launched a new ad showing Virginians the threatening text messages sent by Jay Jones, his Democrat opponent in the race for attorney general. The texts, which became public on Friday afternoon, included messages in which Jones wished death upon former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family.
The ad, titled “Texts,” launched on Monday, is part of a multimillion-dollar statewide advertising campaign. It features flashes of coverage of the threatening texts by news outlets, including National Review, Washington Post, and local stations across Virginia. The ad asks Virginians, “Can you trust Jay Jones to protect your children?”
“Every Virginian knows Jay Jones has crossed a line and cannot be trusted to stand with victims and uphold the law neutrally and fairly,” Miyares’ press secretary Alex Cofield told The Daily Signal. “This is not someone who should be anywhere near the Attorney General’s Office,” said Cofield.
Another ad in the campaign, titled “Speeding,” highlights Jones’ driving record. He was caught recklessly driving at 116 miles per hour and then avoided jail time by claiming he completed community service, though it was time spent working for his own political action committee.
Miyares’ campaign stated, “Virginians deserve an Attorney General who protects families, not threatens them. Someone who upholds the law, not abuses it.”
These incidents have propelled the Virginia attorney general’s race onto the national stage. On Friday President Donald Trump gave his endorsement for Miyares and called for Jones to drop out of the race.
