Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate faces backlash over leaked texts comparing his rival to Hitler, yet vows to stay in the race.
While apologizing for his "abhorrent" text messages regarding Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Jay Jones asserted that Virginians wanted a leader who would "accept when they've made mistakes."
“Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time,”
Jones said, according to the National Review.
“It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them,”
Coyner, a Republican, replied.
In a 2022 interview with fellow delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones stated that if he were in a room with Gilbert, Adolf Hitler, and Cambodian tyrant Pol Pot and had a gun and two bullets, he would shoot Gilbert twice.
Jones had recently resigned from his post as a state delegate for Norfolk, Virginia, when he sent the text messages. In November 2024, he declared his intention to run for attorney general, and in June, he advanced to the Democratic primary.
“I sincerely and from the bottom of my heart, want to express my remorse and my regret for what happened and what I said that language has no place in our discourse, and I am so remorseful for what happened,”
he said.
Jones said he had been in touch with Gilbert and his wife, who were “angry and furious” about the messages.
“What I said was unacceptable, and I accept responsibility for that, and I want them to know, and I want the people of Virginia to know that I am so deeply, deeply embarrassed, and that I understand the gravity of what I said, and I am so apologetic for it,”
he said.
On his comments about Gilbert’s children, Jones added,
“I'm sick to my stomach when I read those words. And certainly they're objectionable, they're abhorrent. They have no place in Virginia, no place in this country's discourse.”
However, despite his apologies, Jones said he would be continuing with his campaign for state Attorney General.
“Virginians, I think, want and deserve and expect leaders who will accept when they've made mistakes, when they have aired, and again, I have not ever claimed to be perfect,”
he said.
“I don't think any of us are, but I'm before the people of Virginia, offering my apology and offering my word that I'm learning and growing from all of this.”
It comes amid growing concerns about political violence and extreme rhetoric, in the wake of events such as the assassination of MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk last month. A recent poll found that more than 70 percent of Americans believe that political violence is now a “severe problem.”
Republicans, including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin were outraged by Jones’ remarks and unconvinced by his apology.
“This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying,”
Youngkin wrote online X.
“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.”
What has Jay Jones publicly said in response so far?
Jones reported being "sick to his stomach" and "deeply embarrassed" after reading the texts again. He called the texts "abhorrent" and "offensive" and said rhetoric of any kind of violence "should never have a role in our discourse" or public life.
He said he took 100% responsibility for his actions and contacted Todd Gilbert directly, along with Gilbert's wife and children, to offer an apology. Jones said that he wouldn't take back what he said, but had hoped that the family would see that he can take responsibility for mistakes.
Even amid the backlash and calls to exit the race, Jones said he would remain in the race for Virginia Attorney General. Jones said the race is about the people's ability to elect a leader who would represent their interests, not about him.