Virginia Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones faced bipartisan backlash after old text messages from 2022 surfaced, suggesting violence towards Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert. In the messages, Jones compared Gilbert to historical figures associated with genocide and indicated he would take “two bullets” for Gilbert.
Jones acknowledged the accuracy of the texts and issued a public apology, expressing embarrassment and regret over his comments. He reached out directly to Gilbert and his family to apologize.
Former Republican Representative Carrie Coyner confirmed the authenticity of the messages, stating they disqualified anyone from seeking public office. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger condemned Jones’ remarks, emphasizing the need for accountability in political discourse.
Republican candidate Jason Miyaress labeled Jones’ comments as disqualifying and reflective of broader issues within the Democratic Party. This incident comes amid a national context of rising political violence, including recent attacks on public figures.
A study indicated a significant disparity in the occurrence of politically motivated violence between right-wing and left-wing actors in the U.S.
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