Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, declined to call on her party’s attorney general hopeful, Jay Jones, to drop out of the race during a Thursday night debate. She stands among many other Democrats who have also declined to do so after text messages surfaced in which Jones fantasized about killing his Republican colleague in 2022.
Jones, a former delegate from Norfolk, Virginia, has faced mounting calls – mostly from Republicans – to bow out of the race for Virginia attorney general. But Virginia Democrats and other party leaders around the country have refused to cave to pressure they are getting to demand Jones drop out.
The Jones' text message scandal has become a flashpoint in Virginia's elections, particularly considering it came at a time of heightened sensitivity to inflammatory and violent political rhetoric following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump.
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Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., remained silent when asked by Fox News Digital repeatedly if Jones should drop out of the race. Warner was also pressed on whether he would demand Jones return a $25,000 donation made to his campaign in August, or whether he regretted the show of support in light of the controversy about Jones' violent political speech, but he once again averted his gaze and remained silent.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was also unwilling to call on Jones' to drop out. He told Fox News Digital he's still a supporter of the embattled candidate for his state's attorney general seat. "I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff," the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee said. "I've known Jay Jones for 25 years."
Several other Democrats outside of Virginia who were approached by Fox News Digital similarly walked away, or refused to respond when asked about the Jones controversy, which revolves around a text message exchange he had in 2022 with another lawmaker.
During the texts, Jones fantasized about putting "two bullets" into the head of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. He also quipped about murdering Gilbert's children.
"Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head," Jones wrote. In a subsequent text, Jones also wrote, "Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time."
"Jay. Please stop," the lawmaker on the receiving end of the tests from Jones said at the time. Jones has since apologized, calling the remarks "embarrassing and shameful," and said he had reached out personally to Gilbert and his family.
"I’m really not familiar with the situation in Virginia," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said when asked if Jones should drop out.
"Haven't given it a thought," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called the texts "horrifying," but when pressed further on whether Jones should drop out, Wyden said, "I’m going to leave it at that, thank you."
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Other Democrats who Fox News approached, such as Sens. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., condemned political violence but admitted they were not following the matter involving Jones.
"I can't say that I've done my due diligence to really understand, but what I will say is that what I saw was absolutely horrible," said Kim. "I hope that in a time right now, where there's so much concern about political violence, we can say that, ‘Yes, we need to make sure that we are holding ourselves up to a high standard, especially those in elected office.’"
Republican responses to the Jones text scandal were starkly different. Speaking with Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the text messages "staggering, particularly with the spate of political violence we have seen."
"There are far too many on the left that celebrate political violence," Cruz continued, adding, "When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, we saw leftists, college professors, leftist schoolteachers, politicians, journalists celebrating that heinous murder."
"And every Democrat in Washington is turning a blind eye," Cruz added. "In my view, the notion that someone advocating for the murder of children because he disagrees politically with their father is manifestly unsuitable for public office, especially the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia. And I wish there were even one Democrat with the courage to say that publicly."
"It's really sickening calling for the assassination of a rival, calling for the death of his children. I mean, I think, hopefully, all of us can agree that's beyond the bounds of what is reasonable here, and he ought to step down," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said when asked about the controversy. "What's amazing though, is, I've not heard one Democrat – hopefully you're asking that question to other Democrats. I've not heard anybody say anything about it, which is pretty sad."
During a debate Thursday night between Republican and Democrat candidates for governor in Virginia, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears repeatedly pressed her Democratic opponent, Spanberger, to call on Jones to step down.
"Jay Jones advocated the murder — Abigail — the murder of a man, a former speaker, as well as his children who were 2 years and 5 years old. You have little girls. Would it take him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it?" Earle-Sears asked Thursday night. "Please ask him to get out of the race. Have some courage."