Virginia Elects Democrat Jay Jones as Attorney General Despite Texting Scandal

Jay Jones is projected Tuesday to become the next attorney general of Virginia, following a tight election against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares.

The Associated Press called the race just after 10 p.m. Tuesday evening, with Jones receiving roughly 52% of the vote and Miyares taking home 47%, with more than 90% of ballots counted.

Jones began his campaign focusing on criminal justice reform, expanding affordable housing and restoring trust in state government, but his message was quickly overshadowed by a texting scandal that erupted last month.

Jones held a 6-point polling lead when screenshots surfaced in early October of him allegedly fantasizing over text about shooting Virginia’s then-House speaker, Todd Gilbert, and his children in 2022.

Jones will serve alongside Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, who was projected Tuesday night to win over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, by a wide margin.

Miyares, the state’s current attorney general, served in the House of Delegates for nearly eight years before launching his campaign. Mike Kropf/AP

Though many Democrats condemned Jones’ actions, none pulled their endorsements, saying Jones deserved the opportunity to move forward. Spanberger, who called Jones’ messages “deeply disturbing and completely inappropriate,” notably removed his name, along with the name of her running mate for lieutenant governor, Ghazala Hashmi, from her campaign bus.

Jones immediately apologized for the violent text messages, saying he “wished that it hadn’t happened” and would “take it back” if he could.

Miyares, the state’s current attorney general, served in the House of Delegates for nearly eight years before campaigning for the statewide office. His campaign focused on public safety and parental rights, with many speeches expressing support for President Donald Trump’s use of National Guard troops to quell protests and assist federal immigration authorities.

Miyares’ campaign raised roughly $23 million in 2025, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, and ended his campaign with about $2.5 million on hand. By comparison, Jones raised $13 million in 2025 and finished his campaign with just under $700,000 in cash on hand.

The race was the most expensive for a state attorney general in U.S. history, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The two campaigns spent $39.9 million on ads, eclipsing the previous record holder, the 2024 North Carolina attorney general’s race, by more than $4 million.