In a shocking revelation, Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General, has been accused of sending menacing text messages to a former colleague, expressing his desire to murder a Republican lawmaker.
This unsettling news was reported by the National Review, which obtained the text messages in question.
Jones, a former delegate for the state of Virginia, reportedly told Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner that he wished to deliver "two bullets to the head" to Todd Gilbert, a former Republican Virginia House Speaker, and then desecrate his grave. This disturbing exchange occurred after Jones had left the state house and during his campaign against Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares in the November general election, as reported by the National Review.
In his messages, Jones expressed a chilling desire to attend the funerals of his Republican colleagues, including Gilbert, to disrespect their graves. He further stated that given the choice between Gilbert and two dictators, he would choose to shoot Gilbert twice in the head.
"Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time," Jones reportedly told Coyner.
Coyner responded to Jones' violent fantasies by pleading with him to stop, expressing her discomfort with his talk of harm and death, regardless of the individuals involved. Jones' response was reportedly dismissive, replying with "Lol" and "Ok, ok."
Neither Jones' campaign, Miyares' office, nor Gilbert's staff at the Page County Commonwealth Attorneys office responded to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
According to the National Review, Jones later called Coyner to elaborate on his views, suggesting that conservative public officials like Gilbert should experience personal pain to prompt policy change. He even went as far as to suggest that Gilbert's wife should endure the agony of losing a child. When Coyner criticized his remarks, Jones reportedly texted back, "Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy."
Coyner later told the National Review, "On August 8, 2022, I had a text conversation with Jay Jones, what he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office." She added that Jones' violent fantasies and jokes about shooting Gilbert were "disgusting and unbecoming of any public official."
The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) has called for Jones to withdraw from the upcoming election. RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper stated, "Conservatives are being executed for their beliefs, and text messages like these are part of the problem. Virginia deserves far better."
Jones' personal conduct has also come under scrutiny following reports that he served a sentence for a 2022 reckless driving incident in Virginia by logging community service hours with his own political action committee. His opponent, Miyares, criticized Jones for this, stating, "This raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General."
Despite losing the Democratic Virginia primary for attorney general in 2021, Jones won the 2025 primary in June. However, these recent revelations may cast a shadow over his political career and his suitability for public office.
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