Virginia Democratic AG nominee's violent texts

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The final month of Virginia’s race for governor appeared poised to center on issues like affordability, abortion and transgender rights.

And then on Friday, it was revealed that a Democratic nominee further down the November ballot, for state attorney general, had suggested that one of the top legislative Republicans in the state be shot in the head in text messages three years ago.

The development, which further inflamed already raw emotions around political violence, has provided an unexpected jolt down the homestretch in what had been a relatively staid election season in Virginia, one of the first major statewide contests to take place since last year's presidential race.

The surfacing of the messages from Democrat Jay Jones quickly sparked criticism from members of both parties, putting Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee and the front-runner in the race for governor, on the defensive during a crucial moment and suddenly giving her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a potential opening.

Spanberger has maintained substantial advantages over Earle-Sears in polling and fundraising throughout the campaign. But with four weeks still to go before Election Day — and early voting underway — the development promises to be a major factor in shaping the dynamics of the final days of the race.

“This definitely qualifies as something that breaks through, and not many events do that anymore,” said Zack Roday, a Virginia-based Republican strategist who is not working with the Earle-Sears campaign.

Roday said Spanberger’s polling and money leads make it so that “she can afford to have her margin shaved off in certain key areas.”

Still, he said, the news "absolutely tightens the race.”

Bipartisan backlash
The backlash to Jones’ 2022 texts — in which he suggested that Republican Todd Gilbert, then Virginia’s House speaker, get "two bullets to the head" — was swift, severe and bipartisan.

The story, first reported by the National Review, quickly drew the attention of top national Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who demanded Sunday on Truth Social that Jones drop out of the race.

Democrats condemned it, too. In a statement Friday, Spanberger said she had spoken “frankly” with Jones about her “disgust with what he had said and texted” and “made clear to Jay that he must fully take responsibility for his words.”

“What I have also made clear is that as a candidate — and as the next Governor of our Commonwealth, I will always condemn violent language in our politics,” she added.

But Spanberger and other prominent Virginia Democrats have stopped short of calling on Jones to drop out. Her campaign did not respond to additional questions Monday about whether she felt Jones should end his bid.

Earle-Sears has seized on that decision, calling on Jones to drop out and saying Spanberger’s continued support for him disqualifies her from running for governor, as well.

“Let me be clear — Spanberger’s continuing support for Jay Jones is disqualifying for higher office,” Earle-Sears said at a news conference Saturday evening. “She and her party’s irresponsible behavior have brought us to this point.”

Earle-Sears’ campaign also began running digital ads centered on the news. One ad clips together a series of news reports about Jones’ texts, intertwining them with Spanberger’s past praise for Jones.

Jones has apologized for the texts, which he sent before he held elected office, saying in a statement that “reading back those words made me sick to my stomach” and that he was “embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry.”