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Democratic Party candidate Jay Jones' political rhetoric and his desire to turn a statewide election into a political referendum of President Donald Trump during Thursday night's debate between Virginia's two candidates for attorney general did not go unnoticed on social media.
The exchange offered a preview of how national politics — and Trump in particular — continue to define down-ballot races in key 2025 battlegrounds.
"It is almost difficult to describe how thoroughly Jason Miyares DESTROYED Jay Jones on the debate stage tonight," said X user @ROOZVA, a Virginia Republican activist. "Miyares was throwing verbal haymakers for the entire hour, and Jay Jones had no idea how to respond. Miyares hit Jones’ texts, reckless driving, and radical record in the House. Jones was on the defensive the entire time, had nothing to say except ‘but Trump.’ That’s not going to cut it for voters. We might’ve seen the final nail in the coffin of his campaign tonight."
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"What this debate is highlighting is not only is Jay Jones violent, dangerous, and maybe a sociopath. He’s also stupid," conservative strategist Matt Whitlock also said on X.
Jay Jones and Attorney General Jason Miyares debate at the University of Richmond, home of the Spiders, in Richmond, Va., on Oct. 16, 2025. (Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via pool)
"Tonight’s debate reinforced one thing we already know: Jason Miyares protects Virginians, Jay Jones protects himself," added Republican Virginia State Sen. Glen Sturtevant.
One part of the debate that social media zeroed in on was when GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares combined his criticism of Jones' political rhetoric and his criticism of Jones' public safety agenda.
"I find it a little bit stunning that today you say one of the pillars of your public safety platform is protecting children. Were you protecting Jennifer's children when you said you wanted to see them die in their mother's arms?" Miyares asked of Jones during the debate.
Jennifer is the wife of Todd Gilbert, who Jones said he would like to see get "two bullets" to the head.
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"How can anybody who's ever worked in any of the crimes against children, all of the areas of federal, state and local law department, how can they ever take you seriously to be the top prosecutor knowing that you view that children should die to advance a political agenda?" Miyares continued in the moment that was later rehashed on social media. "It's unconscionable and if you were truly 'sorry,' you would not be running for this office. You disqualified yourself."
Republican influencer C.J. Pearson called the moment when Miyares called on Jones to disqualify himself a "dagger" to Jones during the debate.
Democrat candidate for Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (left) and Republican candidate Jason Miyares (right). (Julia Rendleman and Parker Michels-Boyce via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, GOP critics of Jones also slammed him for focusing on Trump as much as he did. Jones attempted throughout the debate to align Miyares with Trump, arguing he has given up many opportunities to sue the current administration that would have helped Virginians.
According to some estimates, Jones said Trump's name nearly 50 times.
"VA Dem Attorney General nominee Jay ‘two bullets’ Jones is making it very clear that he’ll be the state’s Letitia James—focusing only on suing Trump while ignoring the crimes in Virginia," Julie Gunlock of the Independent Women's Forum Network said. "How Jones thinks this is an attractive strategy to VA voters, is beyond me."
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The Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
Former Republican Attorney General Bill Bolling reserved judgment of the Thursday night debate between Virginia's Attorney General candidates for another time, but he did comment on the clean debate format. Something he was not alone in applauding after the debate ended.
"I will withhold commenting on who ‘won’ tonight’s AG debate, because I know partisans in both camps will insist their guy ‘won,’" Bolling said on Facebook. "But I will say this….. it was a very good debate, the way debates should be conducted, unlike that spectacle we saw when the gubernatorial candidates debated last week. For that both candidates deserve credit."
