Virginia Democratic AG Candidate Jay Jones Apologizes for 2022 Violent Texts Amid Bipartisan Condemnation

Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia Attorney General, has come under fire for violent and threatening text messages sent in 2022, in which he joked about shooting former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert and compared him to Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot. The messages also included disturbing remarks about Republican colleagues and a promise to "piss on their graves." Jones has apologized publicly, expressing shame and taking full responsibility for his words, and has reached out directly to Gilbert and his family to apologize. Fellow Democrats, including gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, condemned Jones's rhetoric, urging him to take accountability and emphasizing that violent language has no place in politics. Republican candidates have called for Jones to drop out of the race, citing the messages as disqualifying for someone seeking the office of Attorney General. The controversy has added tension to the Virginia Attorney General race, with Jones facing incumbent Republican Jason Miyares in the upcoming election.