Virginia AG candidate faces bipartisan backlash over violent, inflammatory textual content messages

Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for legal professional normal of Virginia, confronted condemnation from Republicans and Democrats on Friday after textual content messages from 2022 resurfaced wherein he stated he would “piss on graves” of GOP opponents and mused about hypothetically taking pictures then-Republican Speaker of the Home of Delegates Todd Gilbert.

In a textual content message change with Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones used violent and inflammatory language, writing that if he had been introduced with a hypothetical scenario wherein he had solely two bullets and was confronted with the selection of taking pictures Gilbert, former Nazi chief Adolf Hitler or former Cambodia dictator Pol Pot, he’d shoot Gilbert “each time,” prompting pushback from his former colleague.

“Gilbert will get two bullets to the top,” Jones wrote. “Spoiler: put Gilbert within the crew with the 2 worst individuals you already know and he receives each bullets each time.”

Gilbert couldn’t be reached for remark. 

The content material of the textual content messages was first reported by The Nationwide Assessment. 

In an announcement to CBS Information, Jones stated he took full accountability for his actions.

“I need to challenge my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his household. Studying again these phrases made me sick to my abdomen. I’m embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry… I’ve reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize on to him, his spouse Jennifer, and their kids. I can not take again what I stated; I can solely take full accountability and provide my honest apology,” Jones stated.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, swiftly condemned Jones’s feedback.

“I spoke frankly with Jay about my disgust with what he had stated and texted,” Spanberger stated Friday. “What I’ve additionally made clear is that as a candidate — and because the subsequent governor of our commonwealth — I’ll at all times condemn threatening language in our politics.”

Spanberger’s Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, additionally denounced the remarks.

“That is horrible to learn and ought to be wholly disqualifying of somebody working for an workplace that protects the individuals of Virginia,” Earle-Sears stated in an announcement. “Jay Jones’ horrific feedback are a symptom of your complete Democratic Occasion, and his working mate, Abigail Spanberger, must name on him to drop out.”

Virginia has turn into a real battleground state in recent times. Democrats management the Home of Delegates by three seats and the state Senate by two, however the Govt Mansion is occupied by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

Information of the messages reached the nationwide degree as nicely, with Vice President J.D. Vance calling for Jones to finish his marketing campaign. 

“The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents in non-public messages,” he wrote in an X put up. “I am positive the individuals hyperventilating about sombrero memes will be a part of me in calling for this very deranged particular person to drop out of the race.” 

Hunter Woodall

contributed to this report.