Category: Virginia elections
Democrat who sent death-wish texts wins top law enforcement office in Virginia
The controversial Democrat who was caught wishing death on a Republican and his children has astoundingly won the election to be Virginia’s attorney general.
Incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares was unable to defeat former Virginia Del. Jay Jones despite a damaging scandal involving death-threat texts.
‘Are we going to pass the test of decency?’
The contest was called for Jones at about 9:50 p.m. local time by Fox News, only a few hours after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 p.m. local time.
The campaign was the most expensive in U.S. history for a state attorney general’s race. Republicans spent $21.9 million and Democrats spent $14.9 million on the race, according to AdImpact. CNN exit polls showed Miyares winning men by 18 points, 40-58, but Jones winning women by 12, 55-43.
The contest was roiled by the texts from Jones, which were obtained and released by National Review. The messages were sent in August 2022 about then-Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert (R). Republicans demanded that Democrats withdraw their endorsements for Jones, but many resisted and Jones remained in the race.
“Three people, two bullets,” read the text from Jones. “Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot.”
He added, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head… Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”
He reportedly went on to wish harm on the Republican’s children as well.
Jones did not deny writing the texts in an initial statement responding to the report.
“Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret, and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Jones wrote in statement to WTVR-TV.
“Let’s be clear about what is happening in the attorney general race right now,” he continued. “Jason Miyares is dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations to assault my character and rescue his desperate campaign. This is a strategy that ensures Jason Miyares will continue to be accountable to Donald Trump, not the people of Virginia. This race is about whether Trump can control Virginia or Virginians control Virginia.”
He later apologized and took responsibility for the texts.
A Fox News exit poll found that 46% of Virginia voters said the texts were disqualifying. Others said they were concerning but not disqualifying or that they hadn’t heard enough about the texts.
Miyares is 49 years old and was the first Hispanic American elected to statewide office in Virginia.
He called on Jones to step down from the campaign during their fiery debate, but the Democrat refused.
“Are we going to pass the test of decency?” Miyares asked the voters in his final statement.
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Progressive wins VA race despite admitted indifference to ‘sexually explicit material’ in schools
Democrat Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi was elected to serve as Virginia’s lieutenant governor Tuesday night, defeating Republican strategist and radio host John Reid.
Hashmi won the election with 53.4% of the vote, while Reid garnered 46.3%, according to the Associated Press. Of the three major Virginia elections, this is the second race called in favor of the Democrats.
Polls had Reid and Hashmi polling neck and neck.
Although the race was projected to be neck and neck into election night, Hashmi pulled ahead by over 145,000 votes.
RELATED: Democrat holds a healthy lead for Virginia governor, but one scandal could throw downballot races
Photo by Max Posner for the Washington Post/Getty Images
Throughout the election cycle, Virginia Democrats were plagued with scandals related to violent and extreme rhetoric. Attorney General candidate Jay Jones infamously fantasized about murdering his political opponents, and Hashmi was on the record tolerating explicit content in children’s classrooms.
“One of my concerns is violence. We seem to focus on sexually explicit material,” Hashmi said in a video obtained by Blaze News. “I don’t really care about that.”
“We teach the books that other people try to ban,” Hashmi said.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Despite this, polls had Reid and Hashmi polling neck and neck.
Reid spent his time on the campaign trail focusing on the economy, lowering taxes, and slashing regulations, as well as defending law enforcement. Reid repeatedly called out Hashmi’s progressive track record.
Hashmi made abortion access a core value for her campaign despite Virginia’s lenient laws that allow abortion up to the third trimester. Hashmi also campaigned on tightening gun restrictions, as well as pitching herself as the anti-Trump candidate.
Although these social issues are not a priority for most of the state’s voters, Virginians ultimately cast their ballots in Hashmi’s favor.
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