The fallout over Virginia Democratic Attorney General nominee Jay Jones continues to deepen, and now even liberal commentators on MSNBC are calling on him to step aside. When you’ve lost Mika and Joe, what do you have left as a Democrat?
The embattled candidate has faced growing condemnation after vile text messages surfaced in which he fantasized about shooting former GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert, writing in 2022 that Gilbert “receives both bullets” when compared to Hitler and Pol Pot. Jones also went on to call Gilbert’s two young children “little fascists” who are “evil.” The revelation has shaken Democrats just weeks before Election Day and drawn outrage from across the Commonwealth.
Republicans, led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and incumbent AG Jason Miyares, quickly demanded Jones withdraw from the race, calling his comments “violent and disqualifying.” The Republican Attorneys General Association and multiple conservative groups have amplified the message online, arguing that keeping Jones on the ballot is a sign of hypocrisy from a party that claims to champion decency and accountability.
But now, even some in left-leaning media circles are echoing that sentiment. MSNBC hosts and analysts, typically supportive of Democratic candidates, have said on air that Jones should “do the right thing and drop out,” warning that his continued presence in the race only damages the party’s credibility heading into November.
Jones has apologized for the messages, calling them “shameful” and “inexcusable,” but has announced no intention of leaving the race. Instead, Jones is basically sad he got caught and ruined his own political career.
With early voting already underway, the controversy threatens to overshadow every other issue in the campaign. Democrats are now left deciding whether to stand by Jones or risk alienating moderate voters even further.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin put the entire ordeal into perspective this morning, speaking to Fox & Friends.
Virginia Democrats, by excusing his behavior because they hate Donald Trump, have put themselves into a corner and further paint themselves as the party most tolerant of political violence.
Governor candidates Winsome Earle-Sears (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D) are set to meet for their first and only debate on October 9. The Jones issue is sure to upend other topics of the race.