Meet Jay Jones, the charming Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia
Jay Jones, Virginia’s Democratic nominee for attorney general, sent a series of disturbing text messages to a former colleague in 2022, where he suggested the state’s then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) deserved to be shot in the head.
“Three people, two bullets,” read a text from Jones, obtained by The Post from a source.
“Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot,” the former member of the Virginia House of Delegates continued, presenting the recipient of his text with a dark hypothetical.
“Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” Jones wrote, adding, “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”
This was not some youthful teenage indiscretion. This was three years ago, when Jones was 33 years old, hardly an impulsive child. He was a law school graduate and member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
And Jones didn’t stop there. A Democrat named Joe Johnson had died a few days earlier, and several Republican state legislators praised him. One would think that would sit well with Jones. But apparently not:
“If those guys die before me,” Jones said of the Republicans praising Johnson Jr., “I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves.”
Charming, no? But that’s not the worst. Here’s the worst:
Jones called Coyner during their text exchange and reportedly doubled down, suggesting that he wished Gilbert’s wife could watch her children die, to perhaps change the former House speaker’s political views, according to National Review, citing a source.
“You weren’t trying to understand,” Coyner texted Jones after she reportedly hung up on him. “You were talking about hopping [sic] jennifer Gilbert’s children would die.”
The Democratic AG candidate responded: “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”
“I mean do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they’re breeding little fascists? Yes,” Jones continued.
This is evil.
But you know what? This is also terrible [emphasis mine]:
Meanwhile, Jones did not apologize for the texts and accused his GOP opponent, incumbent Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, of “dropping smears,” in his initial statement addressing the controversy.
“Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Jones said in a statement to the Virginia Scope.
“Let’s be clear about what is happening in the Attorney General race right now: Jason Miyares is dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations to assault my character and rescue his desperate campaign,” he added. “This is a strategy that ensures Jason Miyares will continue to be accountable to Donald Trump, not the people of Virginia.”
It’s hard to know where to begin with that sort of response from Jones. It reads like satire, but unfortunately it’s not.
Actually, all people have not sent texts that they regret. I can’t recall any of that sort that I’ve sent, for starters. Or received. But yes, it’s pretty common. But what’s not common is the content of the texts Jones sent – except among sociopaths. Or perhaps Democrats who have decided Republicans are literally Nazis.
And forgive me if I can’t quite believe that Jones actually thinks that “violent rhetoric has no place in our politics.” It is such a ridiculous, ludicrous, mind-bogglingly and obviously false sentiment from someone who sent the texts he did for the reason he said he did. It’s not just the Big Lie, it’s the Giant Lie.
And then he plays the victim card. Of course he does. It’s his opponent who’s at fault, who is “dropping smears” – in other words, telling the truth about the vile things Jones said. And it’s being done in “Trump-controlled media organizations” – that is, the National Review, which broke the story. That this is a “Trump-controlled” organization is actually a humorous characterization of that outlet to anyone on the right who’s the least bit familiar with it. But Jones isn’t addressing anyone on the right – he’s addressing Democrats.
And there we get to a sad reality: many, probably most, of them will vote for him nevertheless. Apparently he initially thought this was a nothingburger, a perfectly ordinary way for a prospective attorney general to speak: to want to kill a fellow legislator of the opposing party, and to kill that person’s children.
And I suppose at this point it has become rather ordinary. That’s the atmosphere in which these assassination attempts and assassinations are taking place.
I think I can safely say that only in recent years could a person say something like this and not have to drop out of the race at the insistence of his own party. It’s a measure of the degradation of our society that this hasn’t happened yet to Jones. But I guess Jones did get some flak from his party (or at least fell in the polls), because after that first statement he suddenly seemed contrite and issued an actual apology:
“I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family. Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed and sorry,” Jones wrote.
“I have reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize directly to him, his wife Jennifer and their children. I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology,” he added.
My guess is that what he’s really sorry about is that the texts were exposed. Those extremely vicious sentiments didn’t come out of nowhere.
Oh, and this:
On Wednesday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Jones was busted for reckless driving in 2022 – when he was caught driving 116 mph down a Virginia interstate – but avoided jail time by completing 500 hours of community service with his own political action committee.
His own PAC. That’s novel.
You cannot, cannot, cannot, make this stuff up.
NOTE: From the comments at the article, this is well put:
Since when to adults do this? Just what kind of people live this way, talk this way, and pretend that this is somehow normal? When did this become acceptable to the point where people actually text this stuff? …
This is not a man I would vote for regardless of his political affiliation. And no, an apology would not do. Good men simply do not think this way.
It really is frightening that these people believe this, and they do.
The standard reaction of partisan Democrats at the sites I frequent to Charlie Kirk’s assassination was (1) his assailant is a Nick Fuentes admirer and what he wrote on the ammunition was just the lingo of videogames obsessives; or (2) CK had it coming to him. As far as I can recall, there was no 3d sort of response. These are street-level Democrats who make blog comments. The Democratic Party is a collecting pool of people with very damaged sensibilities.
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I assume the response to Jay Jones’ embarrassment among these same street-level Democrats will be something-something-Billy-Bush-tape.
“Three people, two bullets,”
Who does he think he is?
Matthew Quigly?
Disgusting, but I fear most of the voters in northern VA won’t care.
Tangentially related. In Chicago ICE agents have been surrounded by vehicles and one woman was armed with a semiauto weapon forcing the agents to open fire on her. Given also what is happening in Portland, the level of left violence is rising.
Are they trying to provoke a huge response in order to start a civil war? Or are they just out to start one any way possible?
https://www.foxnews.com/us/dhs-says-ice-agents-chicago-suburb-boxed-10-cars-tensions-escalate
And then he plays the victim card. Of course he does. It’s his opponent who’s at fault, who is “dropping smears” – in other words, telling the truth about the vile things Jones said.
He doesn’t regret what he said about his opponent; he regrets that what he said about his opponent got a lot of negative publicity. I suspect there are a lot of Democrat voters who had no problem with what Jones said.
physicsguy (4:31 pm) asks: “Are they trying to provoke a huge response in order to start a civil war? Or are they just out to start one any way possible?”
Civil War II is already well underway. There was (and there will be) no discrete Fort Sumter – like moment that marked the beginning. But it’s here, and it’s time for us good guys to realize it and internalize it.
I once believed that we were already in a civil war, in practically all respects, except that there was no shooting yet. That was maybe a decade ago. Now there’s been shooting, more and more shooting, and it’s been greatly escalating.
Civil War II is here, and it’s time for us good guys to realize it, to internalize that unsavory and quite depressing fact, and act accordingly (whatever that entails; suggestions, anyone?).
“(whatever that entails; suggestions, anyone?).” – MJR
Yes.
1. Vote like your well-being depends on it – because it does.
2. Support your favored candidates.
3. Send your local police department an e-mail of support.
4. Write/call your Senators and Reps with your ideas about legislation, etc. Especially on issues of law and order.
5. Buy a gun, learn how to use it, and have plans to use it for defense if necessary.
6. Conservatives must start organizing. We need another national group of citizens like the TEA Party. Or maybe we all need to start supporting Turning Point USA.
The left and independents need to see that our numbers are substantial and that we have common sense plans.
That’s a quick list off the top of my head. There probably better ideas out there.
Thumbs up, J.J. (7:05 pm). Thanks for the response.
(Except that since I’m a citizen of California, my “Senators and Reps” [item #4] are not worth any interaction whatsoever. I’ll be consigned to the reeducation camps /SARC.)
Are they trying to provoke a huge response in order to start a civil war? Or are they just out to start one any way possible?
This is straight out of the communist playbook for destabilizing a country to get the revolution going. That’s certainly what Antifa and the far left is thinking.
More moderate Democrats are enraged but out of ideas. Cry havoc! and let slip the dogs of Antifa.
I don’t think they’ve thought it through.
The DemCO Media and the usual pot stirring politicos have purposely created the response to Trump and by extension ICE. Seems to be a set pattern when Democrats want to acquire power or lose it – violence is the tool of choice. I’m not sure how far they are willing to go, hopefully they are realizing Trump doesn’t play.
“what’s not common is the content of the texts Jones sent – except among sociopaths. Or perhaps Democrats who have decided Republicans are literally Nazis.”
“25% of those who identify as very liberal said violence can sometimes be justified.”
“I think I can safely say that only in recent years could a person say something like this and not have to drop out of the race at the insistence of his own party.”
The Republican Party would still demand that such a candidate drop out. That the democrats don’t, in effect condoning the wish to kill a political opponent’s children is just the latest evidence that the democrat party supports domestic terrorism. But then, those who embrace evil always accuse those who resist… of being evil.
Full accountability should mean dropping out.
All votes for him are votes in favor of political violence. In private. As long as there are public apologies, in words only, if the secret violence is revealed.
Truth about prior mistakes is not a smear campaign.
@ physicsguy > “Are they trying to provoke a huge response in order to start a civil war?”
The Leftists who are instigating and likely directing the violence are, being Alinsky fans as huxley noted.
The Democrat Pawns (the useful idiots in the crowds) may think these clashes of protestors and police ARE the war. They probably still believe that the government will back down, as it always has before, and they will win the current battle without any serious opposition.
@ James Sisco > “I’m not sure how far they are willing to go, hopefully they are realizing Trump doesn’t play.”
They haven’t so far, rather like Hamas.
We should all find out tomorrow night if Trump is bluffing.
So far, he hasn’t been.
@ huxley > “I don’t think they’ve thought it through.”
They have thought things through in their alternate reality.
They are the heroes of their own movies.
AesopFan:
“@ huxley > “I don’t think they’ve thought it through.”
They have thought things through in their alternate reality.
They are the heroes of their own movies.”
More like a malign version of the Underwear Gnome sequence in South Park:
Violent Revolution—?—Victory!
October 5, 2025
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/10/cold-civil-war-runs-hot.php
COLD CIVIL WAR RUNS HOT
Powerlineblog
Dispatches from
Portland: Antifa attacks ICE facility in Portland.
— More: Portland braces for federal troops as protests escalate and a conservative influencer is arrested.
— More: Portland police sergeant appears to criticize assault victims for antagonizing anti-ICE protesters.
Chicago: DHS says officers in Chicago fired at driver who ‘rammed the law enforcement vehicle’
— More: Trump deploys 300 troops to Chicago after armed woman who rammed Border Patrol agents is shot as ICE protests escalate
— — — — —
Meanwhile, across the pond . . .
October 4, 2025
https://evebarlow.substack.com/p/meet-your-neighbor-jihad
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR JIHAD
Eve Barlow (Substack)
“It is not the Jihadists who are being told to stay inside so the rest of us can be safe. No. British Jews are told to stay indoors and not gather in groups while terrorist-loving ‘human rights’ advocates take to the streets waving Palestinian flags, demanding a globalized intifada. The police are not maintaining the law with their presence at these marches. Instead, they are maintaining order, by capitulating to terrorists. These tone deaf, deplorable and downright abusive displays began immediately as the murders took place in Manchester, displaying just how lacking in civility, humanity and common decency these so-called free speech advocates are.”
I have not read through all the comments so apologies if someone has already mentioned that they would not even vote for this man for dogcatcher! I would fear for the dogs.
@ M J R – the Powerline post you linked referenced this one.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/10/california-guard-to-portland.php
Yeah, it’s heating up, at least in the Democrat Socialist states.
(I like the color blue, and will henceforth refrain from using the Red-Blue state designations foisted on us by Marxist media so that they could reverse the symbolism of the colors, Red being unequivocally associated with Communism and USSR at the time.)
@ M J R – the post by Eve Barlow was outstanding.
My newest concern is that British Jews moving to the US would be wise to choose their new locations carefully, or they will be jumping from one frying pan to another.
They have thought things through in their alternate reality.
AesopFan:
To be sure, but speaking as an ex-leftist, a whole lot of what leftists do is throw shit at the wall and see what sticks.
Occupy Wall St was cool and had its day, but didn’t peg the meters. Throw in Critical Race Theory and George Floyd?
Now we’re cooking!
Leftists can switch their alternate realities on a dime. That’s the point, innit?
Heh those Virginia Dems are really something!
“Virginia Democrat gubernatorial nominee worked at Saudi school known for Hamas links, jihadi grads;
“Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic hopeful for Virginia governor, leans heavily on her CIA credentials when running for office. But her stint at the Islamic Saudi Academy has been a source of controversy in her prior races.”—
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/spanberger-worked-saudi-government-school-known-hamas-links-jihadi-grads
Assumes facts not in evidence. I am not sure he has a character to assalt.
@ huxley > “Leftists can switch their alternate realities on a dime. That’s the point, innit?”
Bingo!
That’s a point I have been missing, and yet all the evidence is there.
Maybe one of the things that lets Trump outflank them sometimes, and which also annoys right and left alike, is that he also throws things out (for the Right: run it up the flagpole and see who salutes), then drops what doesn’t work, fine-tunes what seems to, and so forth.
Except I don’t think he deals in “alternate realities” aka make-believe wish-casting, so much as sampling the slice of actual reality of the people he has to deal with.
Maybe those are the same thing in some ways, but many Leftists don’t seem to live in any objective reality at all.
In the Scott Adams analogy: Trump (as an avatar for at least some conservatives and independents and even Democrats) looks to see what part of the movie screen people individually concentrate on, and homes in on different sections as needed, but they are all watching the same movie and it doesn’t change.
Leftists are watching a totally different movie than the Right to start with, and change the film on the projector at any moment (switching alternate realities).
I just did a tour of the legacy media sites. No mention of Jay Jones and his murder talk.
My public response would be:
“Mr. Jones, I will accept your apology if I believe it is sincere. The only way I will believe it is sincere is if you drop out of the race.”
I’ve lived in Northern Virginia for most of the last 40 years, but if I had a fully remote job, I’d seriously consider moving. The problem is that the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is NoVa is controlling the entire great Commonwealth of Virginia. I am hoping our Lt. Governor Sears can win the election this November, but the prognosis isn’t great, and it’s likely the commies, nihilists and perverts will be back in charge.
@ Kate – Just like I said (and am not the only one)
“Leftists (most Democrats) are watching a totally different movie than the Right (most conservatives; many Republicans; some Independents)”
I don’t see what y’all are so upset about. He’s just following our Commander in Chief’s example: the guy who regularly calls Democrats “scum”, “vermin”, and “evil”, and just told the Navy “we have to take care of the Democrats, they’re a gnat on our shoulder”. If no one is calling on Trump to resign because of his comments, then why should Jay?
I don’t see what y’all are so upset about. He’s just following our Commander in Chief’s example: the guy who regularly calls Democrats “scum”, “vermin”, and “evil”, and just told the Navy “we have to take care of the Democrats, they’re a gnat on our shoulder”. If no one is calling on Trump to resign because of his comments, then why should Jay?
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A great many politicians are appositely described as scum, vermin, and evil. I missed the part when Trump suggested capping Nancy Pelosi’s grandchildren.
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The Democratic Party in our time is notable for a complete absence of constructive objects. If Democratic politicians wish to be described as something other than gnats on the shoulder, they could come up with some.
This was not some youthful teenage indiscretion. This was three years ago, when Jones was 33 years old, hardly an impulsive child. He was a law school graduate and member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
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He’s a 3d generation pol from the Tidewater. The law job he mentions on his pr materials was a stint as a corporation council in DC, which is not within commuting distance of the legislative district in which he ran two years after being admitted to the bar. He was first elected to the legislature at age 28 and this is actually his 2d effort to cadge the attorney-general’s job.
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Someone Jones’ age should be eligible for local conciliar bodies and executive positions in localities with modest populations, not the state legislature.
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If we were sensible, the state attorney-general would be chosen by a vote of the state legislature or nominated by the governor with the advice-and-consent of the state legislature and have a tenure regulated by retention-in-office referenda, a rotation-in-office rule, and a mandatory retirement rule. In order to be eligible for the position, you’d have to demonstrate you’d been employed as a working lawyer in a state attorney-general’s office for at least four years (pro-rating p/t and seasonal work) during the course of your career and that you were at this time eligible to accept an appointment as a superior court judge. In order to be eligible to accept an appointment to the superior court bench, you’d have to be eligible to run for public office somewhere in the state, to be a member of the state bar active and good standing, to have been a member active and in good standing of one or another state / territorial bar for a minimum of 13 years in sum, and to have not yet passed the calendar year in which your 72d birthday takes place.