The article discusses the backlash against Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones, who faces intense criticism from both Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump due to violent texts sent by Jones, which include fantasies of murdering a former Republican lawmaker and his family. These texts have led to calls for his removal from the race, with Vance and Trump expressing outrage over the Democrats’ continued support for Jones, despite the nature of the allegations.
The situation has also drawn attention to a separate group chat involving young GOP activists that used racist language and praised Hitler, sparking further political tension. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not publicly denounced Jones or called for him to drop out, but immediately demanded ‘every Republican from President Trump on down’ condemn the group chat ‘unequivocally.’
Vance pushed back, tweeting that he wouldn’t join the outrage given Democrats’ silence on Jones. ‘This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia,’ he said. He also shared a snippet of Jones’ text to Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Hopewell, that read: ‘only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.’
Speaking during a ceremony eulogizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was allegedly murdered by a left-wing extremist, Trump said political violence and violent rhetoric from the left must stop. ‘We’ve seen that a candidate for attorney general in Virginia boasted that he would want to see [a] Republican legislator in Virginia shot in the, and to see his children murdered — They actually said this,’ Trump said. He added, ‘And now he continues to run for office, and most people continue to back him.’ Trump offered incredulity at the idea Jones could envision such violence and not either drop out or be forced out of the race.
‘Pretty amazing, right – that’s a bad one; let’s see how that turns out,’ he said. ‘Especially in the wake of Charlie’s assassination, our country must have absolutely no tolerance for this radical left violence, extremism and terror.’