Trump Urges Dem AG Nominee Jay Jones to Quit Over Violent Texts

President Donald Trump has called on Democratic Virginia Attorney General nominee Jay Jones to immediately drop out of the race following the revelation of leaked 2022 text messages in which Jones made violent and disturbing remarks about Republicans, including fantasizing about shooting former House Speaker Todd Gilbert and wishing harm upon his children. Trump described Jones's comments as "sick and demented" and criticized Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger for not addressing the issue, while endorsing incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares. Vice President J.D. Vance also condemned Jones's private messages, calling for him to exit the race and highlighting the severity of the allegations. The texts were first exposed by National Review and showed Jones joking about killing Gilbert alongside historical dictators Hitler and Pol Pot, which Jones later apologized for and expressed regret. The controversy has stirred bipartisan calls for Jones to resign from the campaign, with Republicans using it to bolster Miyares’s candidacy. This scandal has become a significant point of contention in Virginia's off-year elections, raising concerns about political violence rhetoric.