Democrat Jay Jones, a candidate for Virginia attorney general, is facing serious backlash after disturbing text messages were revealed. In these messages, Jones expressed a desire to kill a prominent Republican leader and made shocking comments about attending the funerals of GOP lawmakers.
The texts, shared first by National Review, show Jones discussing how he would murder then-GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert. He wrote, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” He also mentioned wanting to attend Republican funerals to “piss on their graves,” adding, “Send them out awash in something.”
These messages were exchanged on August 8, 2022, and were reportedly in response to Republicans praising the late Democrat Del. Joe Johnson, who had recently passed away at the age of 90.
Jones has not denied sending the messages but has attempted to shift the blame onto Republicans and the media aligned with former President Donald Trump. He stated, “Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret, and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics.” He accused his opponent, Jason Miyares, of using the issue to attack his character amid a desperate campaign.
In a follow-up, Jones expressed regret for his words, saying he felt “sick to my stomach” after reading them. He reached out to Gilbert to apologize directly, stating, “I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.”
The reaction from political figures has been swift. Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears called the texts “wholly disqualifying,” saying they reflect poorly on Jones and the Democratic Party as a whole. She urged his running mate, Abigail Spanberger, to call for him to withdraw from the race.
This incident comes at a time when political tensions are high, with some commentators noting an increase in violent rhetoric across the political spectrum. The fallout from Jones’ comments could have significant implications for his campaign as he seeks to win the attorney general position in Virginia.
