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Last week, Virginians across the political spectrum were shocked to read text messages from Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones fantasizing about murdering a former Republican colleague and wishing death on his children. But this is just the start of Virginia Democrats’ disturbing embrace of political violence.
As National Review first reported, in 2022, just after resigning from the House of Delegates, Jones sent a disturbing string of text messages to another legislator stating that if his Republican colleagues died before him, he would “go to their funerals to p— on their graves.”
Jones then stated that if he had “two bullets” and was faced with the prospect of shooting Pol Pot, Adolf Hitler and former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
Jones next called Gilbert and his wife “evil,” stated that they were “breeding little fascists,” and wished death on their children. Jones specifically stated that he hoped Gilbert’s children would die in their mother’s arms.
All of these comments are repulsive, disgusting and totally disqualifying for anyone who seeks public office.
Jay Jones wants Virginians to trust him to protect them as the commonwealth’s top cop, but it is abundantly clear that he harbors intense, violent malice toward anyone who disagrees with him. There can be no doubt that Jones would weaponize his office against his political opponents. There would be no fair and unbiased pursuit of justice under an Attorney General Jay Jones.
When pressed on his past remarks, Jones outrageously claimed that he was the real victim, accusing Attorney General Jason Miyares of “dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations.” No remorse. No apology. Just more hatred and vitriol.
Equally shocking has been the lack of calls for Jones to drop out of the race. In 2019, leading Virginia Democrats, including Abigail Spanberger, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine and Terry McAuliffe, all called on Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam to resign over a decades-old yearbook photo showing him in a racist costume.
But now Spanberger only says that she “spoke frankly” with Jones after he repeatedly and explicitly wished death on his political opponents and their children. She has not rescinded her enthusiastic endorsement of Jones, and she has not called on him to drop out of the race.
Here’s what Virginians want to know: How can Abigail Spanberger claim that she opposes political violence when she tolerates it from the candidates she shares a ticket with? Would Spanberger hire someone who has made comments like those Jones made in her administration? How can anyone trust her to lead when she doesn’t even have the courage to call on Jones to withdraw?
Every Virginia Democrat should state, clearly, whether they believe Jay Jones should drop out.
Unfortunately, Abigail Spanberger is part of Virginia Democrats’ violence problem. During multiple recent campaign stops, Spanberger called on her supporters to “let your rage fuel you.” When criticized over these comments, Spanberger refused to back down – even as multiple Virginia Republicans had faced credible death threats.
Just days before Jones’ texts became public, a man was arrested for threatening the life of Del. Kim Taylor, a Petersburg Republican. Prior to that, Del. Geary Higgins of Lovettsville was texted a death threat in which an individual threatened to shoot Higgins at his next rally.
These developments also come after the disgusting reaction from many Virginia Democrats to the killing of Charlie Kirk last month.
In the immediate wake of that shooting, Democrat Chesterfield County School Board Chair Dot Heffron – who has been endorsed by both Spanberger and Democrat lieutenant governor nominee Ghazala Hashmi – posted, “Call me old fashioned, but I remember when we used to be ok with shooting Nazis.” Jasmine Frye, identified as an employee of Spanberger’s campaign, posted “F around and find out” in response to Kirk’s assassination.
Meanwhile, the finance director for a Virginia Democrat PAC was exposed for mocking those upset at Kirk’s death and reposting claims that his killing was “objectively funny.” In another case, Katie Pillis, Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner’s casework operations coordinator, posted mocking remarks on Instagram about Kirk being shot.
Spanberger and Virginia Democrats want us to ignore all of these incidents as isolated outbursts. But the pattern is undeniable.
This is not just about Jay Jones. It is about a Democrat Party in Virginia that has grown comfortable excusing, rationalizing and even promoting political violence and murder. When their candidates joke about killing Republicans, when their operatives laugh at assassinations, when their leaders tell supporters to let “rage” guide them, what they are really doing is laying the groundwork for more threats, more intimidation and more bloodshed.
Virginians should not tolerate it. We cannot hand over the keys of government to a party that shrugs at violence against its opponents. If Democrats will not draw a line, then voters must.
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