Democrats in Virginia are facing new questions about rhetoric and responsibility after a troubling report revealed attorney general nominee Jay Jones once fantasized about shooting a Republican lawmaker, even as gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger is under fire for telling supporters to “let your rage fuel you.” The controversy comes on the heels of the devastating assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah.
According to a National Review report, Jones exchanged a series of disturbing texts in 2022 in which he talked about violence against then-GOP Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert. In one message, Jones wrote that Gilbert “receives both bullets.” In another, he spoke of urinating on the graves of political opponents. The texts, now public, raise serious concerns about judgment and fitness for office. Jones went on to attack Gilbert’s wife and children in the same text thread.
The revelations land at a moment when Democrats are already being pressed on their tone. Spanberger, who is running for governor, has had to defend a resurfaced clip from June in which she told supporters to “let your rage fuel you.” Her opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, quickly blasted the remarks as irresponsible. Critics say that kind of language, even if meant metaphorically, lowers the barrier between heated politics and real-world violence.
This isn’t the first controversy swirling around Jones. In January 2022, he was cited for reckless driving after being clocked at 116 miles per hour on Interstate 64 in New Kent County. Under Virginia law, the charge carried the possibility of up to one year in jail. Instead, Jones struck a deal that spared him jail time. He paid a $1,500 fine and agreed to perform 1,000 hours of community service, splitting the work between the NAACP Virginia State Conference and his own political action committee, Meet Our Moment. The unusual arrangement drew criticism, with opponents questioning why a PAC, which is not a registered charity, was allowed to count as community service. Jones has since called the speeding incident a mistake and said he accepted the court’s resolution.
The timing of Jones’ text messages espousing violence could not be more stark. Just weeks ago, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. The politically-motivated killing shocked the nation and renewed concerns about a climate where political violence is no longer unthinkable, especially from the left.
For what it’s worth, Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia, condemned Jones, but did not call for him to drop out:
Democrats have been reckless in normalizing talk of rage and revenge, even as they publicly condemn violence. One conservative commentator warned that “words like this create a culture where someone eventually acts.”
Together, the Jones texts and Spanberger’s rhetoric are feeding a larger debate over the direction of the Democratic Party. Instead of cooling tempers, Democratic leaders appear willing to stoke anger when it suits them politically. Voters in Virginia, and nationally, should reject this rhetoric and these candidates outright.
As one lawmaker put it bluntly, “You cannot call for rage, you cannot joke about bullets, and then act shocked when political opponents are targeted.”
Jay Jones should drop out of the race, apologize, and disappear from ever running for public office again.