The race for attorney general in Virginia is experiencing a seismic shift in the wake of the Jay Jones texting scandal.
According to RedState, recent polling data from Trafalgar Group indicates that GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares has now taken a six-point lead over the beleaguered Democratic nominee. This is a significant turnaround from the previous poll, where Miyares trailed Jones by four points.
The scandal has also had a ripple effect on other races, including the gubernatorial and lieutenant governor races. Both are now in a statistical tie within the margin of error, a stark contrast to Trafalgar's previous poll conducted just days before the scandal broke and the sole gubernatorial debate between Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D) took place.
Jones' texts, sent in August 2022, contained disturbing fantasies about assassinating then-Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert (R) with "two bullets to the head," and of Gilberts children dying in his wife Jennifers arms. While Jones has admitted to sending the texts, he has vehemently denied allegations that he suggested in a phone conversation that the death of a few police officers might lead to a change in law enforcement tactics.
In the wake of the scandal and Spanberger's lackluster debate performance, the Virginia Democrat Party is in a state of disarray. They are scrambling to find any excuse to avoid explaining why they have not called for Jones to withdraw from the race or rescinded their endorsements.
As the election draws near and early voting commences, some Democrats have resorted to "whataboutism" in an attempt to downplay the gravity of Jones' comments. One such individual is Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a former lieutenant governor and ten-year veteran of Congress. When questioned about the texts, Beyer made the following statement:
"You know, what Jay said was awful. It's no worse than what Donald Trump says almost every day, and the things JD Vance has said, when you compare it to the other evil things. People make mistakes. I very much hope he prevails."
However, this comparison is flawed. Despite being an avid news follower, I have never heard Trump or Vance express a desire to murder their political adversaries or wish for the death of their opponents' children. Such statements are simply non-existent. It is worth noting that there have been politically motivated attempts on Trump's life, as witnessed during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The Democrats' resort to the "But Trump/Vance" argument is a desperate and insulting move that belittles Virginia voters. Most voters can distinguish between heated political debate and the desire to murder a political opponent and witness their children's death.
One can't help but question whether Beyer is aware that his claims about Trump and Vance are unfounded. Is his support for Jones influenced by a growing faction of Democratic voters who share Jones' sentiments? This seems to be the case in Virginia, as we've previously reported.
The disturbing responses we've seen and heard from some Democrats following Charlie Kirk's assassination lend weight to this theory. It's a chilling thought, but the evidence is there. The ball is in their court to prove otherwise.
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