RICHMOND — The Virginia governor’s race was supposed to be the marquee contest of 2025, a historic showdown between two women who national Democrats and Republicans alike hope can rally their parties into next year’s congressional midterms.

But two downballot contests keep stealing the limelight in unpredictable ways.

An October surprise involving the emergence of violently worded text messages sent by Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones in 2022 has become the focal point of Republicans’ closing arguments in the final weeks before Election Day on Nov. 4 — even in the governor’s race.

“Everything is about Jay Jones. Period,” Mark Harris, the political consultant for GOP gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears, told reporters after his candidate debated Democratic nominee Abig

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