Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia, was hesitant to urge her party’s attorney general candidate, Jay Jones, to withdraw from the contest during a debate on Thursday night. Many Democrats have also refrained from doing so following the emergence of texts in which Jones expressed violent fantasies about a Republican lawmaker in 2022.
Jones, a former Norfolk, Virginia delegate, is facing increasing calls, particularly from Republicans, to exit the race for attorney general. However, Virginia Democrats and various party leaders nationwide have resisted the mounting pressure to demand his departure.
The text message controversy involving Jones has become a focal point in Virginia’s elections, particularly given the current climate of heightened awareness regarding inflammatory and violent political rhetoric due to recent violent incidents, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk and two assassination attempts against President Donald Trump.
Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., chose to remain silent when repeatedly asked by Fox News Digital whether he believes Jones should step down. Warner also faced inquiries regarding a $25,000 contribution made to his campaign in August, particularly in light of Jones’s scandal, but he declined to answer.
Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., also avoided pressing Jones to step down, indicating to Fox News Digital that he continues to support the troubled candidate for attorney general. “I believe those remarks were out of character for him, and he has apologized — I wish more public figures would sincerely apologize for their actions,” stated the former Democratic vice presidential nominee. “I have known Jay Jones for 25 years.”
Numerous Democrats outside of Virginia who were contacted by Fox News Digital similarly chose not to respond or walked away when asked about the controversy surrounding Jones and his disturbing texts from 2022 with another lawmaker.
In those texts, Jones mentioned fantasizing about inflicting fatal harm on then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, even making callous jokes regarding Gilbert’s children.
Jones wrote, “Three individuals, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert receives both bullets to the head.” Further, he added, “Spoiler: whenever you pair Gilbert with two of the worst individuals you can think of, he gets both bullets every time.”
In response to Jones’s messages, the lawmaker receiving them implored, “Jay. Please stop.” Jones later issued an apology, labeling his comments as “embarrassing and shameful,” noting that he reached out to Gilbert and his family directly.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., remarked that he was unfamiliar with the specifics of the situation in Virginia when asked about Jones’s potential withdrawal from the race.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., stated, “I haven’t given this matter much thought.”
Concurrently, Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., labeled the texts as “horrifying,” yet when pressed on whether Jones should discontinue his campaign, Wyden replied, “I will leave it at that, thank you.”
Additional Democrats contacted by Fox News, including Senators Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., condemned political violence but confessed they had not been closely following the situation with Jones.
Kim stated, “While I can’t claim that I’ve thoroughly looked into this, I can say that what I have seen is utterly appalling. I hope that during these times of increased concern about political violence, we can emphasize that we must hold ourselves accountable to high standards, especially those in elected roles.”
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In contrast, Republican reactions to the Jones text controversy have been much more pointed. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, described the messages as “staggering, particularly in light of the recent surge of political violence we have witnessed.”
Cruz added, “There are far too many individuals on the left who appear to endorse political violence. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we saw a number of leftist academics, school teachers, and political figures celebrating that terrible act.”
Cruz noted, “Every Democrat in Washington seems to be ignoring this. In my opinion, a person advocating for the murder of children because of political disagreements with their father is unequivocally unfit for public office, particularly as the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia. I wish there were at least one Democrat brave enough to publicly express that.”
Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., remarked on the abhorrence of calling for violence against a rival, including threats against their children, stating, “I believe we can all agree that such calls for gruesome acts are well beyond the lines of decency, and he should resign.” Schmitt was equally astonished that none of the Democrats have commented on the issue.
During a debate Thursday evening, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears pressed Spanberger to call for Jones’s resignation. “Jay Jones has called for the murder — Abigail — of a man, a former speaker, as well as his children ages 2 and 5. You have young daughters. Would it take him to actually pull the trigger for you to demand his withdrawal? Please, show some courage and ask him to withdraw from the race,” Earle-Sears challenged Spanberger.
