(The Center Square) – The Virginia GOP has launched a campaign criticizing Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones on crime ahead of the November election.
The Republican Party of Virginia said it launched the campaign to “expose Jay Jones and his Soft-On-Crime policies.” The GOP also pointed to Jones’ 2020 vote in favor of House Bill 33, a measure that expanded parole eligibility for some individuals in Virginia, and his support for House Bill 1532, which expanded earned sentence credits for inmates who met certain requirements.
Jones, a former assistant attorney general and lawmaker.
Jones has previously said he supports criminal justice reform to make the system fairer while maintaining public safety. According to his campaign platform, he has called for “building a fairer and more equitable Virginia” by expanding civil rights enforcement within the attorney general’s office and hiring more attorneys with public defender backgrounds to diversify perspectives.
His plan also proposes reviewing Virginia’s legal code to address outdated or discriminatory laws and expanding regional satellite offices to increase public access to the attorney general’s office across the state. Jones’ campaign cites a range of state legislation and national research to support his criminal justice positions.
The GOP says its focus on crime comes as voters remain concerned about public safety, with the attorney general race seen as a key contest heading into November.
Public safety has become a top issue in many statewide and local races in Virginia, with candidates debating crime, policing and justice policies ahead of the November election. The attorney general’s office oversees legal guidance for law enforcement agencies while also representing the state in court cases involving public safety issues.
The attorney general in Virginia serves as the state’s chief legal officer, overseeing the Office of the Attorney General, representing the state in court cases and providing legal advice to state agencies and the governor.
Jones has not yet responded to the new GOP campaign.
The attorney general race will appear on the ballot in November alongside the governor’s race and all seats in the House of Delegates.
