In a dramatic turn of events, Virginia’s Democratic nominee for Attorney General, Jay Jones, has canceled a key fundraiser amidst escalating turmoil in his campaign following the emergence of deeply controversial text messages.
Last Friday, the National Review unveiled Jones’ 2022 texts, in which he expressed a disturbing desire to harm former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, igniting outrage within political circles.
These texts surfaced as Jones vented his frustrations over the posthumous praise being directed at the late moderate Democratic legislator, Joe Johnson Jr.
In a striking exchange with Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones’s shocking fantasies about shooting Gilbert were shared, providing an unsettling look into his sentiments towards political opponents.
These private messages provide a jarring insight into Jones — who aims to unseat incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares this fall — illustrating how he characterizes his adversaries behind closed doors. pic.twitter.com/vvbtcn4vIQ
— National Review (@NRO) October 3, 2025
Despite calls for his resignation, Jones remains steadfast in his candidacy, with many Democrats rallying around him, displaying a worrisome acceptance of violent rhetoric against Republicans.
Democratic AG candidate Abigail Spanberger has notably supported Jones, declining to condemn his troubling remarks.
In contrast, GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears vocally condemned Jones, even suggesting a grotesque hypothetical concerning Gilbert’s children falling victim to a school shooting:
“I wish one of his kids would get shot up at school and die. Then maybe he’d change his mind,” Earle-Sears emphasized, hysterically contrasting her views against Jones’s text messages that perceived violence even towards innocents.
WINSOME EARLE-SEARS criticized Virginia Democratic AG nominee Jay Jones, asserting he fantasized about “murdered little children lying lifeless in their mothers’ arms” in response to his leaked violent texts. pic.twitter.com/YZOhB0iWvY
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 5, 2025
Former President Trump also weighed in over the weekend, launching a fierce attack on Jones:
“It has just come out that the Radical Left Lunatic, Jay Jones, who is running against Jason Miyares, the GREAT Attorney General in Virginia, has made SICK and DEMENTED jokes, if they were jokes at all. He wrote and shared these concerning the murder of a Republican Legislator, his wife, and their children. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for Governor, is weak and ineffective, refusing to acknowledge what this Lunatic has done. Even Democrats say it is ‘RESIGNATION FROM CAMPAIGN’ TERRITORY. Democrat Jay Jones should drop out of the Race IMMEDIATELY and the People of Virginia must continue to have a GREAT Attorney General in Jason Miyares who, by the way, has my Complete and Total Endorsement—JASON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump exclaimed on Truth Social.
As the pressure mounted from Republican constituents, conservative media, and Trump’s vocal criticisms, Jay Jones made the decision to cancel his Thursday night fundraiser.
Axios reported:
Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Virginia, has scrapped a key fundraiser scheduled for Thursday at the residence of novelist David Baldacci, according to sources familiar with the situation.
This cancellation highlights the significant distress facing Jones’ campaign.
- Jones publicly acknowledged and apologized for texting in 2022 about saving “two bullets” for the Republican House Speaker, as first reported by the National Review.
- Since the controversy broke, Jones has avoided public appearances, except for a brief question-and-answer session at a Richmond ABC affiliate, where he stated, “the rhetoric has no place on our landscape.”
- Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) was also slated for the now-canceled fundraiser. Kaine reiterated his support for Jones while condemning the messages as “indefensible,” acknowledging that “Jay has apologized.”
Driving the news: Democratic donors have reportedly received notifications from the Jones campaign that their contributions will be refunded due to the event’s cancellation.
