Virginia attorney general candidates Jay Jones and Jason Miyares faced off in a debate at the University of Richmond Thursday night ahead of the November 4 election. While the debate covered topics ranging from crime and immigration to energy costs and civil rights, the conversation always returned to the topic on everyone's mind: Jay Jones' vile text messages.
Jones, a Democrat former Virginia House delegate, fought to defend himself over a series of text messages he sent a few years ago in which he seemingly advocated for political violence against then-Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) and death upon his children.
Jones addressed the controversy at the outset and accepted "accountability" multiple time over the course of the debate.
"I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry. I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert. I'm sorry to his family. I'm sorry to my family. And I'm sorry to every single Virginian. I cannot take back what I said. But you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes. And you also have my word that I will spend every waking moment fighting for you."