Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squared off in their first and only debate Thursday over a set of violent and incendiary text messages sent by Jones — an issue that has overtaken the race and vaulted it to national prominence.

Miyares, an incumbent running for reelection, pushed hard against Jones for the leaked texts, which included messages to a Republican delegate in which Jones said that former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get "two bullets to the head."

Referencing a quote from President Abraham Lincoln, Miyares started the debate by saying: "Character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching. But now we know what he (Jones) was doing in the dark."

Democrat Jay Jones, left, and Republican i

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