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Last night’s only debate for Attorney General of Virginia between incumbent AG Jason Miyares and Delegate Jay Jones was spirited, well-moderated, and covered dozens of key topics. Sadly, the debate occurred after over 600,000 Virginians had already cast their ballots and before over half of those early voters had heard of the news of the violent text messages sent by Del. Jones. Virginia needs to restore election sanity and end or shorten Virginia’s no-excuse, 45-day voting window.
The Thomas Jefferson Institute’s Chris Braunlich wrote clearly last week about the violent and disturbing text messages sent by Del. Jones and what they exposed about his character and the character of those that remain unwilling to call for his exit from this critical race. The debate summary below reviews Del. Jones’ apology and we will not provide further comment on this issue here. But, the Jones texting scandal has made this the most watched AG race in recent memory (if not ever), and last night’s debate arguably the most watched!
The office of Attorney General is one of the most consequential positions in state government, second only to the governor in shaping how the law is enforced. Voters should understand that the AG is not a legislator or political activist; he or she is the chief law-enforcement officer of the Commonwealth, charged with defending its laws, protecting citizens from crime, and ensuring that justice is applied fairly and consistently.
A principled Attorney General upholds the Constitution, resists federal overreach, and safeguards individual liberties against bureaucratic excesses. Conservatives view this role as a bulwark of the rule of law — someone who interprets the law as written, not as wished — and who stands with law enforcement, victims, and taxpayers rather than bending to political winds or activist causes.
For those who have not voted, this debate provided a clear contrast between the candidates. The format, decorum, and questions asked were a helpful and much-needed part of providing voters the information they need to make an informed decision on this critical race. I have attempted to provide some key highlights from the debate, using candidate quotes where possible:
A link to the full video of the debate is below:
| Derrick Max is the President & CEO of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and may be reached at dmax@thomasjeffersoninst.org.. |
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