On Monday, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, a prominent voice on the left, urged scandal-plagued Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones to withdraw from the race following the emergence of disturbing texts wherein he fantasized about the assassination of a Republican lawmaker.
Jones, a Democratic contender, faced backlash after old messages came to light that depicted his unsettling thoughts.
“He should probably be made to step down from the race,” Scarborough commented during Monday’s episode of “Morning Joe.”
Scarborough’s comments quickly caught the attention of conservative commentators, who asserted that the MSNBC host’s position indicated a need for Democrats to be more mindful of their candidates.
“You know it’s serious when you’ve lost MSNBC,” remarked the Republican Attorneys General Association on X.
“Joe Scarborough has been vocal about Democrats and crime issues. His stance serves as a significant warning that the party may have veered too far left, and that they should reconsider,” added commentator Erick Erickson.
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet also voiced his support, stating: “Even Joe Scarborough on MSNBC is calling for Democrat Jay Jones to pull out of the Virginia AG race… That’s commendable.”
This backlash follows Jones’s apology after revelations of a series of texts from 2022 where he expressed a wish for then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his children to be shot.
The offensive messages were directed to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner in August 2022.
In spite of the controversy, Democratic leaders have continued to support Jones.
