The emergence of violent text messages sent by Virginia’s Democratic nominee for attorney general, Jay Jones, has disrupted the state’s gubernatorial race. Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears is now leveraging the controversy against her opponent, Abigail Spanberger, who held a significant polling lead before the texts were revealed.
Earle-Sears has launched new campaign ads condemning Spanberger for her continued support of Jones. The texts, which Jones sent three years ago, speculated about a senior state Republican getting “two bullets to the head” and “breeding little fascists.”
The messages, first reported by the National Review, were sent by Jones, a former state lawmaker, to a Republican colleague in August 2022. In the exchange, Jones fantasized about the death of then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, writing he would get “two bullets to the head” if chosen over Hitler and Pol Pot. In a subsequent message, he called Gilbert and his wife “evil” and accused them of “breeding little fascists.”
Jones has issued a public apology, saying he was “embarrassed, ashamed and sorry” and had taken “full responsibility” by apologizing directly to the Gilberts. Spanberger has distanced herself from the comments, stating, “I will always condemn violent language in our politics.”
However, Earle-Sears has called for both Spanberger and Jones to drop out of their respective races. “Spanberger’s continuing support for Jay Jones is disqualifying for higher office,” Earle-Sears said at a press conference. Former President Donald Trump echoed this sentiment on his Truth Social platform, calling Spanberger “weak and ineffective.”
Jones’s opponent, incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, also criticized the remarks. “The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia,” Miyares said. “It must be done with character and integrity. This conduct is disqualifying.”
The controversy arises amid a backdrop of escalating political violence in the United States. While former President Trump and his allies have attempted to attribute political violence exclusively to left-wing agitators, a Department of Justice study—removed from its website in September—concluded that far-right extremists have killed more Americans than any other domestic terrorist group.
Prior to the texts’ release, a poll showed Spanberger leading Earle-Sears by 12 points. Now, the scandal has put the Democratic gubernatorial candidate on the defensive. “This definitely qualifies as something that breaks through, and not many events do that any more,” Virginia-based Republican strategist Zack Roday told NBC News. “This is all the campaign is going to be for the next 30 days.”
