RICHMOND, Va. — The two candidates vying to be Virginia's next attorney general faced off in a debate Thursday night at the University of Richmond, with Democrat Jay Jones on the defensive over recent controversies.

The debate between Jones and incumbent Republican Jason Miyares comes as hundreds of thousands of votes have already been cast in early voting.

Jones offered an apology for controversial text messages he sent in 2022, but Miyares rejected it.

"I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, I am sorry," Jones said.

"You had three years to say you were sorry and you didn't, you chose to stay silent," Miyares responded.

The debate capped off a tumultuous two weeks for Jones, who has faced scrutiny over two separate controversies from 2022.

One involved a reckless driving conviction for dri

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