PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Candidates for Virginia Attorney General, incumbent Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones, will face off in a crucial debate Thursday night at the University of Richmond.

The debate comes at a pivotal moment in the campaign, with Jones embroiled in a texting scandal that has reportedly narrowed his lead in the polls.

Dr. Jesse Richman, an associate political science professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, noted the impact of the scandal, saying, "This revelation is a surprise that has upended the campaign in important ways, giving a much more probable path to Miyares returning to office as attorney general for another term."

The texting scandal involves messages from 2022 in which Jones hypothetically discussed a scenario where former Republ

See Full Page