The controversy surrounding Virginia Democratic Attorney General nominee Jay Jones escalated significantly on Monday after Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin called the violent text messages “demented” and “beyond belief,” stating he initially thought the report was a joke.
Youngkin made the comments during an appearance on “Fox and Friends” with co-host Brian Kilmeade, refocusing the debate on what he characterized as the “violent left of the Democrat Party.”
The controversy erupted after the National Review reported on 2022 texts sent by Jones, a former Virginia House Delegate, to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. In the messages, Jones fantasized about shooting then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, writing, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
The texts drew a swift backlash, including calls for Jones to step down from Vice President JD Vance and others.
Governor Youngkin focused his outrage not only on the threat to Gilbert but the subsequent, more chilling comments directed at Gilbert’s family.
“I thought… this was a joke, because no one could write this, this is demented,” Youngkin said. “And here we have the Democrat 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 wishes death on his children.”
Youngkin referenced a follow-up phone call Jones had with Coyner where he reportedly doubled down on the violent rhetoric, leading Coyner to write to him that he was “talking about hopping [sic] jennifer Gilbert’s children would die.” Jones responded, “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”
“Todd Gilbert has small kids and for Jay Jones to wish death on his small children is beyond belief, but that is where the violent left of the Democrat Party is. This is where these folks are,” Youngkin asserted.
The Governor cited other recent incidents, including celebrations and justification of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on social media—reactions that led to the firing of several prominent media figures, including MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd and Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah.
“We had Charlie Kirk assassinated and so many folks celebrated on the far left… and now Jay Jones comes out and says he has two bullets for Todd Gilbert’s head and wants to see his children die,” Youngkin continued. “This is unbelievable, and what’s shocking also is that after calling for the normal apology, the Democrat candidates, Abigail Spanberger and the rest of them were out campaigning this weekend like it was nothing. They have got to call for this guy to resign, step down, get out of this race in disgrace, because this is beyond disqualifying.”
The texts resurfaced amid broader tensions, with the Governor noting that the controversy comes as riots have taken place at United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Chicago and Portland.
The messages also follow other reports regarding Jones’s character, including a prior claim that he fulfilled community service requirements for a reckless driving conviction by working for his own political action committee.
Vice President JD Vance has also joined the condemnation, posting on X: “The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents in private messages. I’m sure the people hyperventilating about sombrero memes will join me in calling for this very deranged person to drop out of the race.”
Facing pressure, Jones issued an apology in a follow-up statement, taking responsibility for the texts. “I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family. Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed and sorry,” he wrote, adding that he had reached out to apologize directly to the Gilberts.
However, the apology was preceded by an initial statement in which Jones attacked the source of the story, claiming his opponent was “dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations to assault my character and rescue his desperate campaign.”
Despite the calls from Youngkin, Vance, and others, Jones has not announced his withdrawal from the race.
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