Virginia AG Nominee Jay Jones Under Fire for Violent Text Messages as Bellwether Election Looms

Virginia’s Democratic nominee for Attorney General, Jay Jones, is facing intense bipartisan backlash and growing calls to withdraw from the race following the resurfacing of text messages from 2022 where he mused about shooting former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert.

In the controversial texts, Jones reportedly suggested to Republican state Delegate Carrie Coyner that Gilbert should receive “both bullets every time” when grouped with two “worst people.” Jones has since issued an apology, stating he is “embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry” for the comments.

The revelations have ignited a political firestorm, with prominent figures from both sides of the aisle condemning the remarks. Vice President JD Vance joined calls for Jones to step aside, drawing parallels to other political controversies. Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears have urged Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger to pressure Jones to drop out.

While Spanberger condemned the “violent language” and urged Jones to “take responsibility,” she has stopped short of demanding his withdrawal from the attorney general race. The controversy threatens to significantly impact Virginia’s upcoming off-year elections, which are widely considered a national bellwether.

A recent Washington Post-Schar School poll conducted from September 25-29 shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears by 12 points among likely voters, underscoring the high stakes of the current political climate in Virginia as the fallout from Jones’ comments continues.

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