Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones issued an apology on Friday after National Review published text messages from 2022 in which he expressed violent fantasies about Republican state House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Jones wrote to Republican politician Carrie Coyner that he would choose Gilbert over Hitler and Pol Pot to receive two bullets to the head. He also reportedly told Coyner by phone that he hoped Gilbert's wife would witness her child dying so Gilbert might alter his political positions.
The Democratic nominee acknowledged that his statements made him sick to his stomach and said he contacted Gilbert to apologize directly to the speaker and his family. Jones insisted he takes full responsibility for his words but declined to withdraw from the race against incumbent Republican Jason Miyares. Vice President J.D. Vance called Jones a very deranged person and demanded he exit the contest.
The incident emerges as Republicans attribute recent political violence to inflammatory language from Democrats and left-wing activists following the assassination of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk last month. Democrats counter that President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans have also escalated political tensions nationwide. Several dozen people lost their positions or faced suspensions for celebrating or ridiculing Kirk's death.
The Democratic nominee acknowledged that his statements made him sick to his stomach and said he contacted Gilbert to apologize directly to the speaker and his family. Jones insisted he takes full responsibility for his words but declined to withdraw from the race against incumbent Republican Jason Miyares. Vice President J.D. Vance called Jones a very deranged person and demanded he exit the contest.
The incident emerges as Republicans attribute recent political violence to inflammatory language from Democrats and left-wing activists following the assassination of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk last month. Democrats counter that President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans have also escalated political tensions nationwide. Several dozen people lost their positions or faced suspensions for celebrating or ridiculing Kirk's death.
