Virginia Attorney General Race Shaken by Jay Jones’ Violent Texts

It’s the kind of headline that makes you do a double take—a candidate for attorney general accused of texting about shooting the state House Speaker. Yes, really. Virginia Democrat Jay Jones, now running for the state’s top law enforcement job, is apologizing for a series of 2022 text messages in which he joked about giving Republican Speaker Todd Gilbert “two bullets to the head.” When caught, Jones called it a “regrettable mistake” and then blamed “Trump-controlled media” for exposing him. Because apparently, in modern politics, it’s not your words that get you in trouble—it’s who leaks them.

Democrats Say “Unity,” But Text About Bullets

The same party that lectures America about “lowering the temperature” somehow keeps cranking the thermostat up to molten levels. Jay Jones’ texts weren’t locker-room talk or a late-night meme—they were sent to a fellow legislator, Carrie Coyner, who had to tell him to stop after he fantasized about shooting a Republican colleague and even made comments about the man’s family. This is the same party that campaigns on compassion and inclusivity. Apparently, that stops at the first hint of disagreement. And when Democrats are caught speaking like this, they don’t apologize—they pivot. Jones’ official response didn’t start with remorse; it started with blaming Donald Trump. Because nothing says “personal accountability” quite like, “It’s Trump’s fault I texted about bullets.”

Character Still Matters in Virginia

Virginia voters have long prided themselves on decency, civility, and the belief that words reflect character. When someone wants to be the state’s top prosecutor—the one who upholds justice and protects lives—that person should probably avoid joking about ending one. Jason Miyares, the Republican incumbent, put it plainly: you have to be in a dark place to say something like that about a colleague. Miyares has actually met victims of violence face-to-face; he knows what grief sounds like. Virginians deserve an attorney general who understands that pain, not one who makes it part of a punchline.

If a Republican Said It, the Media Would Still Be Screaming

Imagine if a Republican candidate had sent the same texts. The national media would have set up tents outside his house and declared democracy in peril by breakfast. Late-night hosts would have held candlelight vigils between punchlines. But because the candidate has a (D) next to his name, the story barely gets a shrug. The Associated Press covered it carefully, but the outrage from the usual “defenders of democracy” was strangely quiet. If the press ever wonders why trust in media keeps sliding, they might start by looking in the mirror the next time a Democrat jokes about political violence and everyone politely looks away.

Virginia Deserves Leaders, Not Loose Cannons

Jay Jones says he’s sorry and that the texts make him “sick to his stomach.” Fair enough. But remorse without reflection is just damage control. Virginians are watching early voting already under way, deciding whether to give power to someone who treated violence as banter. Jason Miyares has spent his career standing up for victims. Jones, by contrast, has had to explain away 116-mile-per-hour speeding tickets and disturbing texts. Maybe that contrast says everything voters need to know.

Final Thought

The Virginia attorney general race is now a referendum on judgment, not just ideology. Words matter, especially from those seeking to enforce the law. Voters deserve steady leadership—someone who sees political opponents as fellow citizens, not as targets in a bad joke. Virginians have always valued integrity over theatrics, and that choice feels more urgent than ever.

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JIMMY

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Editor’s Note: This article reflects the opinion of the author.

h/t: Steadfast and Loyal