Exclusive: Jason Miyares Talks Jay Jones Texting Scandal, Reckless Driving Conviction at VA Fundraiser

During his remarks at a Northern Virginia fundraiser on Tuesday evening, Virginia's incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares spoke about the Jay Jones texting scandal and how it might affect this year's statewide races, National Review has learned.

The texting scandal, first reported by National Review last Friday, has injected a sense of panic in Democratic circles about their embattled 2025 attorney general nominee Jay Jones's disturbing rhetoric from 2022, when he fantasized about shooting his former Republican colleague, then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, and said that his children should die so that he might reconsider his political views. While many Virginia Democrats have expressed alarm and disgust at Jones's rhetoric, there has been no collective demand from high-profile state Democrats or his running mates for him to withdraw from the race. Of 100 Virginia Democrats contacted by the Washington Post, only one called on Jones to drop out of the race.

The Tuesday evening Miyares fundraiser, hosted by Bobbi and Bill Kilberg in McLean, Virginia, was "filled to the brim," an attendee told National Review. Miyares spoke about the context of the 2022 texting conversation, which began with Jones expressing disgust to a former state legislative colleague that Republican state legislators were eulogizing then-recently deceased former House Del. Joe Johnson Jr., a centrist Democrat known for working across the aisle.

Miyares told the crowd that Jones's comments do not represent "the Virginia Way," and that Jones's denigration of the late Johnson's memory is ironic given Jones used to portray himself as a moderate. Miyares also emphasized to the crowd that he does not view his office as a partisan office, and that he serves all Virginians, no matter their party affiliation.

Miyares also spoke about his opponent's reckless driving conviction, first reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch last week. Jones was convicted for driving 116 miles per hour — or 46 miles above the speed limit — in New Kent County, Virginia. Jones's punishment: a $1,500 fine and 1,000 hours of community service hours, 500 of which he served for his own political action committee. During the Tuesday fundraiser, Miyares told the crowd that a handful of other people who were convicted that day for driving more than 100 miles per hour in the same county faced jail time or had their licenses suspended.

Miyares also spent part of his remarks talking about the second anniversary since October 7, 2023. Event organizers had to cut off the question and answer period because it went on so long, an attendee said.

The Miyares campaign declined to comment for this story.