CALLS TO RESIGN: Virginia AG Candidate Jay Jones (D) Texts “two bullets to the head” of Republican Colleague

Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones is under intense scrutiny after newly uncovered text messages revealed violent and deeply inappropriate remarks toward Republican lawmakers — including shocking comments about House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family.

The messages, sent in August 2022 to GOP Delegate Carrie Coyner, show Jones mocking tributes to the late Democratic legislator Joe Johnson Jr. before launching into a disturbing tirade against Republican officials. In one exchange, Jones wrote that if certain Republicans died before him, he would attend their funerals “to piss on their graves.” He went on to compare Speaker Gilbert to Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot, adding that if he had “three people, two bullets,” he would use both on Gilbert.

Coyner, disturbed by the exchange, pushed back, replying, “It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them. It isn’t ok.”

According to Coyner, the conversation worsened when Jones suggested during a follow-up phone call that he hoped Gilbert’s wife would have to watch their child die so that the Speaker would “feel pain” and change his political views. Coyner said she ended the call immediately. Later messages show Jones doubling down, writing, “Do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they’re breeding little fascists? Yes.”

Coyner condemned the comments publicly, stating, “On August 8, 2022 I had a text conversation with Jay Jones, what he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office. Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and joked about shooting Todd Gilbert. It’s disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.”

After initially avoiding reporters, Jones eventually issued a statement saying, “Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” but he also dismissed the controversy as a Republican “smear campaign.”

Governor Glenn Youngkin strongly called on Jones to resign after the texts messages were made public.

Youngkin said, "This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying. Jay Jones said that “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head” and then hoped his children would die. Read those words again. There is no “gosh, I’m sorry” here. Jones doesn’t have the morality or character to drop out of this race, and his running mates Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and every elected Democrat in Virginia don’t have the courage to call on him to step away from this campaign in disgrace."

The revelations have added fuel to growing concerns over Jones’s judgment and temperament. At 36, he already faces questions about his lack of prosecutorial experience, a past reckless driving conviction, and claims that he inflated his legal résumé. With early voting now underway, the disturbing text scandal threatens to further erode confidence in his campaign.

Meanwhile, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger has drawn her own backlash for telling supporters to “let your rage fuel you.” Her remarks, coupled with Jones’s violent rhetoric, have raised broader concerns about the tone and behavior of Democratic candidates across Virginia as the election approaches.