CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Nearly two weeks after violent texts from Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones surfaced, Jones will face off against Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in a debate at the University of Richmond at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Republican officials, including Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP’s nominee for governor, have called on Jones to drop out of the race. Earle-Sears attempted to make it the focus of her debate with Democratic nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger, and Miyares will likely bring more attention to the scandal in this debate.

Miyares told WAVY-TV 10 in Portsmouth, “I thought what he said what he said, in my opinion, was disqualifying, particularly in this era of political violence.”

In the text messages, Jones suggested he would like to see former Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert and has family become the victims of gun violence, because of Gilbert’s opposition to gun control reform.

Jones has spoken publicly once, in an exclusive interview with WRIC TV 8 in Richmond, saying “I sincerely and from the bottom of my heart want to express my remorse and my regret for what happened and what I said. That language has no place in our discourse, and I’m so remorseful for what happened. I actually reached out to Speaker Gilbert… to apologize to him and to Jennifer and their children because I know they are angry and furious and they’re well within their bounds to feel that way.”

Jones has also released a statement accepting responsibility for the messages, and Miyares has released a barrage of ads calling out his opponent.

The two agreed last week to the debate hosted by the University of Richmond School of Law alongside the Virginia State Bar.

It is not televised but will be streamed at the law school’s website.

The latest poll from Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center, which released on Monday but was taken before the text message scandal, showed Jones with 6-point lead over Miyares 49%-43%.