UPDATE: Virginians have just elected Democrat Jay Jones as their new Attorney General, despite shocking revelations about his violent text messages regarding Republican lawmakers. The election results were confirmed just over an hour after polls closed, with Decision Desk HQ projecting Jones’s victory over incumbent Republican Jason Miyares.
The election took place on November 7, 2023, amid mounting controversy surrounding Jones’s August 2022 texts. In these messages, he expressed disturbing fantasies about murdering Republican figures, specifically targeting then–Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot,” Jones reportedly wrote, adding, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
These revelations sparked outrage, with fellow Republicans condemning his remarks and urging him to withdraw from the race. Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin condemned the messages, stating, “This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying.”
Despite the backlash, including calls for Democratic nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger to demand Jones’s withdrawal, he remained steadfast in his campaign, saying he would focus on other pressing issues. Jones, who has not denied sending the texts, has not issued an apology.
This election outcome raises significant questions about the electorate’s tolerance for extreme rhetoric in political discourse. The choice of Jones as Attorney General could have far-reaching implications for Virginia’s political landscape.
As reactions pour in, observers are keen to monitor how Jones’s controversial statements will impact his upcoming tenure as Attorney General and the broader implications for political civility in Virginia.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops.
