Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears delivered a blistering one-two punch this weekend, saying Democratic AG candidate Jay Jones has disqualified himself from office after texts emerged in which he wished for the death of a Republican rival’s children.

The coordinated condemnations marked the most aggressive escalation yet in a controversy that has thrown Virginia politics into a fever pitch heading into the nationally watched 2025 election.

"Jay Jones has shown he’s reckless, biased, and willing to trade away his integrity," Miyares wrote in an open letter to Virginians, posted to social media late Saturday. "This conduct is disqualifying."

Hours later, Sears took the stage to deliver remarks and accused Democrats of being "consumed with hate."

YOUNGKIN SAYS DEMOCRAT AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES MUST ‘STEP AWAY IN DISGRACE’ OVER TEXTS ABOUT FORMER GOP LEADER

"The enemy is among us, devouring us in Virginia and in America today," Sears said in a fiery speech. "Jay Jones fantasizes about murdered little children lying lifeless in their mother’s arms. And yet he runs for attorney general, our chief law enforcement officer."

The uproar followed the publication of private 2022 text messages in which Jones, then a rising Democrat star, said he hoped former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert’s children would die. When challenged, Jones doubled down, saying that such grief might be "a good thing" if it advanced his politics.

Jones has since apologized, calling the remarks "embarrassing and shameful," and said he had reached out personally to Gilbert and his family.

VIRGINIA AG CANDIDATE ONCE REFERENCED PUTTING ‘TWO BULLETS TO THE HEAD’ OF GOP LEADER, TEXTS SHOW

But Virginia Republicans said the damage is irreversible. Miyares, who has served as attorney general since 2022, wrote that as a prosecutor he has "sat with crying victims and grieving families" and heard "the cries of a parent who has lost a child." He said no one, "least of all a candidate for Virginia’s top law-enforcement office, should ever treat such pain as a political tool."

Miyares’ letter put the race's stakes in plain language. "If you believe it is okay to wish death upon a political opponent — vote for my opponent," he wrote. "If you believe it is worth the death of children to advance your political goals — vote for my opponent. If you want to give a green light to violent lunatics — vote for my opponent."

The attorney general said his own oath of office obligates him to protect every Virginian, "regardless of whether they are a Democrat or Republican." He added: "I cannot imagine someone running for this job who advocates for violence."

Sears broadened her criticism beyond Jones, tying his comments to a culture of what she called Democrat "rage politics." 

"The leadership of the Democrat Party is inciting violence as a strategy to win power," Sears said. She noted that gubernatorial candidate Rep. Abigail Spanberger urged her supporters to "let your rage fill you."

"Well, words have meaning," Sears continued. "Rage is defined as violent, uncontrolled anger." She warned Virginians to take notice, citing past threats and attacks on Republicans nationwide, from the 2022 attempt on Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s life to school shootings targeting Christians.

"The unstable pull the triggers," Sears added, "but they are inspired by the hate tolerated and encouraged by the leadership of the Democrat Party."

Both Republicans framed the controversy as a turning point in the 2025 election. 

"Prior to this week, this race was about competing views on public safety," Miyares wrote. "Now it’s about basic fitness for public office."

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Sears closed her speech with a plea for unity and faith: "As an immigrant, I have seen what happens when leftists destroy the foundations of freedom." 

"Let each of us act to protect our beloved Commonwealth of Virginia and the gift from God that is the United States of America," Sears concluded.

Fox News Digital did not receive responses on requests for comment from Sears, Miyares or Jones at the time of publication.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman, Danielle Wallace and Charles Creitz contributed to this report. 

A Missouri man was found dead from a likely bear attack this week, just two days after he sent photos to his family of a bear at his campsite in Arkansas, according to officials. 

Police found the 60-year-old man’s body several hundred yards from his campsite near Mt. Judea, Arkansas, on Thursday. The area showed signs of a struggle and had drag marks away from the camp.

The man's son had asked for a welfare check because his dad hadn’t checked in for a couple of days since sending the photos.  

His body has "extensive" injuries "consistent with those expected from a large carnivore attack," the Newton County Sheriff’s Department said in a release. 

ALASKA JOGGER DRAGGED 100 YARDS BY BEAR IN TERRIFYING PREDAWN ATTACK NEAR DRIVEWAY

Search efforts were still underway on Saturday to find the bear, which appeared to be a young male, according to the photos sent by the man. Officials said they weren't sure the bear in the photos was the one that attacked. 

"Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can't 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it," Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said in a statement. "We are attempting to find the bear and dispose of it so the Game and Fish Commission can test it for anything that may have led to the encounter."

He added, "We know without a doubt that a bear was in camp with our victim and the injuries absolutely are consistent with a bear attack. This is a highly unusual case. We are very early in the investigation and search and will update as we can. If you are in the area, just be aware and use caution, especially with children. History tells us that once a bear becomes predatory, it often continues those behaviors."

The campground, known as Sam's Throne, has been temporarily closed to the public while the search for the bear continues. Wheeler warned people to be vigilant while enjoying the outdoors: keep food away from where you sleep, don’t approach bears even if they’re small and carry bear spray or some other way to defend yourself. 

WOMAN SAVES HUSBAND'S LIFE WITH BEAR SPRAY DURING GRIZZLY ATTACK IN WILDERNESS

"I don't want this to become open season on any bear that someone may see, as most bears fear humans and run away," Wheeler added. "But, at the same time, don't put yourself or others in jeopardy."

This would be the second bear attack in the state in a month if confirmed. 

A 72-year-old Arkansas man was mauled by a black bear in early September. He later died of his injuries. 

Before that, the last fatal bear attack in Arkansas was in 1892, according to the Arkansas Times. 

"I don’t even know how to put it into words, to tell you the truth. These things just don’t happen," Keith Stephens, the chief of communications for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, told the newspaper. "It just seems so bizarre. It’s not even in my realm of comprehension. I’m really in shock today. Actually, when I was told about it, I thought they were kidding me just to give me a hard time from the last one. It’s obviously not a joking matter, but it just didn’t seem real." 

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The bear in the first attack was previously euthanized.