Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) and former state Del. Jay Jones (D) came face-to-face on Thursday at a highly anticipated attorney general's debate in Richmond amid a stunning scandal that has put renewed interest on the downballot race.

Unlike past state attorney general races, this year's contest has garnered national attention following leaked violent texts sent by Jones in 2022 about former state House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R).

Jones apologized for the texts after they surfaced earlier this month, but Miyares and Republicans have used the controversy to knock Jones as being unfit to serve as the state’s top law enforcement official. A number of internal polls following the scandal have shown a tightening margin in the already competitive contest.

Thursday’s forum marked the first and only time Miyares and Jones confronted each other in person during the campaign. Here are five takeaways from the Virginia attorney general debate:

Jones apologizes for violent text messages, reckless driving

Thursday's debate was heavily overshadowed by the scandal involving Jones's text messages, in which he suggested shooting Gilbert. The Democrat sought to immediately address the controversy, using part of his opening remarks to apologize.

“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 in his opening remarks.

The Democrat was later asked by the moderator why voters should trust him in the wake of the texting scandal, as well as a 2022 reckless driving conviction.

“I was held accountable by my party and I deeply, deeply respect that,” Jones said. “But what about when Donald Trump used incendiary language to incite a riot to try to overturn an election here in this country? What about when Winsome Sears used violent........

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