Virginia’s Democratic candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, is under fire over the recent disclosure of 3-year-old text messages in which he engaged in violent fantasies about shooting the then-Virginia House speaker, Todd Gilbert. 

The messages, sent in August 2022 to a Republican delegate, Carrie Coyner, surfaced following the death of a former state legislator, Joe Johnson Jr. When several Republicans, including then-Speaker Gilbert, offered tributes to Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jones, who had recently resigned from the state legislature,  expressed his contempt.

“Hence the glowing tributes from the Rs. Damn, that [message] was for Mark,” Mr. Jones texted Ms. Coyner, indicating he sent the message to her by mistake. He continued, criticizing Mr. Johnson for allegedly leaking information to Republicans. “It’s why Gilbert gave him such a glowing tribute.”

Mr. Jones’s messages quickly escalated in their violent nature. “If those guys die before me, I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves,” he wrote, before making a direct threat against Mr. Gilbert.

“Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” Mr. Jones texted. “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”

Ms. Coyner repeatedly attempted to de-escalate the conversation, texting, “Jay. Please stop.” Mr. Jones briefly relented with “Lol. OK, OK,” but his inflammatory remarks continued in subsequent messages and a phone call. Referring to Mr. Gilbert’s children, he allegedly suggested that he and his wife were “breeding little fascists.”

Ms. Coyner described the exchange in a statement to the National Review, saying that “what he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office. … Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and joked about shooting Todd Gilbert. It’s disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger also condemned the remarks, saying she has spoken “frankly” with Mr. Jones about her “disgust” at his words. “I will always condemn violent language in our politics,” Ms. Spanberger said.

When contacted for comment by National Review, Mr. Jones did not deny sending the messages but attempted to deflect, blaming his political opponent for a smear campaign.

“Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret, and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Mr. Jones said. “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.”

The controversy emerged just a month before the election, compounding other issues facing the 36-year-old candidate, including a past conviction for reckless driving and questions about his lack of prosecutorial experience.

Virginia is one of two states along with New Jersey hosting gubernatorial contests next month which will be seen as an early test of voter sentiment ahead of next year’s midterm elections.