Democratic candidate Jay Jones, running for Virginia attorney general, has launched his inaugural advertisement on Monday amidst a texting controversy impacting his campaign just weeks before voters head to the polls.
The ad, which was first seen by The Hill, is a part of a six-figure, statewide buy.
In this 30-second advertisement, Jones makes a pointed connection between Virginia’s Attorney General, Jason Miyares, and former President Trump, labeling Miyares as “Trump’s attorney.”
The ad highlights Miyares as the sole candidate with Trump’s unequivocal endorsement, referencing a post by Trump on TruthSocial where he urged Jones to withdraw from the race due to the texting controversy.
The narrative of the ad casts Miyares as a staunch Trump supporter, featuring clips of both at a rally. The narrator accuses Miyares of contributing to various issues such as job losses, inflation, and cuts to healthcare, while also advocating for an abortion ban in Virginia.
This advertisement emerges as Jones faces criticism for text messages from 2022 that recently came to light. In those messages, he made a joking remark about shooting former state House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a revelation that has stirred significant debate in the state’s off-year elections, with Republicans urging Democrats to pressure Jones to quit the race.
Jones apologized for the texts after they were published earlier this month and did so again on stage at Thursday’s debate.
“Let me be very clear: I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry. I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert, I am sorry to his family, and I am sorry to every single Virginian,” Jones said.
He sought to tie Miyares to Trump during the same debate, calling him “a willing cheerleader” for the president.
The strategy is rooted in Trump’s deep unpopularity in the Old Dominion. Trump holds a 42 percent job approval and a 54 percent disapproval rating in the state, according to a poll released by Emerson College and The Hill earlier this month.
Jones’s campaign said it raised $500,000 in the 24 hours after the debate.
The latest polling average from The Hill’s partners at Decision Desk HQ show Jones and Miyares tied at 46.4 percent. In the fundraising race, Miyares has maintained a decent lead over Jones throughout the campaign.
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