Democrat in Virginia Race Exposed for Violent Texts About Shooting a Top Republican

Shockwaves continue in the Virginia Attorney General's race as one candidate is facing pressure to drop out.

Democrat nominee Jay Jones is apologizing after messages surfaced where he uses language depicting violence against a former Republican lawmaker and his family.

The text messages have thrust an already tight race into the national spotlight. Jones is now admitting his words were wrong but ignoring calls to exit the race.

"That language has no place in our discourse, and I am so remorseful for what happened," Jones recently said during an interview with WRIC, the local Richmond, VA, ABC affiliate.

Jones sent the messages in 2022, when he was in Virginia's House of Delegates, to Republican colleague, Del. Carrie Coyner.

In referring to then-Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Jones says:

    "Three people, two bullets, Gilbert, Hitler, Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head."

He continues:

    "Spoiler: Put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time."

Coyner asks him to stop, but he later calls her to further explain his reasoning. At one point in the phone conversation, he allegedly suggested that Gilbert's wife, Jennifer Wishon, should watch her two young children die in her arms so that Gilbert might reconsider his political views.

Coyner then says she hung up on Jones. He again began texting, and when she pushed back he responded:

    "I mean do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they're breeding little fascists? Yes."

Speaking on Fox News, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the comments "demented."

"Here we have a Democratic candidate running for Attorney General, the top cop in Virginia, wishing not only that he had two bullets to put in a guy's head, but then he wishes death on his children, and Todd Gilbert has small kids," Youngkin said.

He is among a growing number of Republicans, including President Donald Trump, now calling for Jones to leave the race.

WATCH: Gordon Robertson Condemns Evil, Murderous Texts by VA Dem Jay Jones - 'It Shows Where His Heart Is'

Within his own party, condemnation is growing, although so far, Democrats have stopped short of asking him to withdraw.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger released a statement saying, "I spoke frankly with Jay about my disgust with what he said and texted. I made clear to Jay that he must fully take responsibility for his words....As the next governor of our Commonwealth, I will always condemn violent language in our politics."

Editor and publisher of Inside Elections, Nathan Gonzales, a CBN News Contributor, says the Virginia election is critical for Democrats.

"This is the first opportunity that Democrats have to try to regain some ground that they lost in 2024, so this isn't just a normal race for State Attorney General," Gonzales said.

While he believes this issue could affect the entire Democrat ticket, he adds, the election would allow Virginia voters to be the final voice on whether Jones is qualified to serve.

"Two things can be true at the same time: that there are voters who condemn what Jay Jones texted, but also believe that other things are a higher priority, including which party is in control of government," Gonzales said.

As Virginians head to the polls next month, this race is now about more than policy; it's about character and the consequences of words.

With the temperature of American politics at a boiling point, the question is – how many more warning signs will it take before both sides cool the rhetoric?

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