Virginia Republicans are continuing their calls for Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones to drop of the race, hoping to keep the spotlight on the controversy over his dark text messages from three years ago, which recently re-emerged.
The controversy appears to have landed with voters. Every voter News4 spoke with on Tuesday was aware of Jones’ 2022 text messages suggesting the former GOP House speaker get “two bullets to the head.”
News4 found just one person who changed his vote over the issue. Most shared the belief that the issue could have an effect on all three statewide races.
“It’s a mistake and I think he’ll probably pay the price for it,” Fairfax County voter James Joyce said about the disturbing texts.
NBC News confirmed that in 2022, Jones sent texts to GOP delegate Carrie Coyner expressing his displeasure with then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Jones wrote that if he had two bullets for three people and one of those people were the speaker, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
Coyner also said Jones later called her and suggested he wished Gilbert’s wife could watch her own child die in her arms so that Gilbert would reconsider his stance.
Jones has apologized to Gilbert and his family, saying he’s “embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry.”
A Republican voter who planned to split his ticket and cast a ballot for Jones said he voted for incumbent Jason Miyares instead.
“I think this last episode with Jones – it’s going to have a big impact because you really can’t get past it,” he said.
News4 asked if Jones lost his vote or potential vote because of it. “Yes,” he replied.
Fairfax County Democrat Tim Howard said he had no reservations about voting for Jones.
“It did not make a big deal to me,” he said.
Scott and Virginia Garretson described themselves as independent voters who are backing all three statewide Democratic candidates to send a message to President Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington.
“The way they’re running the world is not the way I want it to be run,” Scott Garretson said.
But they conceded the texts were troubling.
“He’s apologized for it. I don’t know, that was the one I had the largest pause on in the voting booth and I just kind of had to say, to me, it’s the general message that needs to be sent,” Scott Garretson said.
Voters said they believe the texts will hurt Jones.
“Having that come out was definitely not helpful,” Virginia Garretson said.
The other worry for those voting for Democrats was that the controversy will drag down gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, who in recent polls had a double-digit lead over her GOP opponent, Winsome Earle Sears.
“She may win by a little less, but I’m hoping she still wins,” one voter said.
Spanberger has said she was “disgusted” by Jones’ texts.
News4 also asked voters about the call from Republican leaders, including Trump, for Jones to drop out of the race. Voters from both parties said they don’t think that’s realistic, especially since more than 350,000 people have already cast their ballots.
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