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When Coyner urged him to stop, telling him, “It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them… no matter who they are,” Jones brushed it off, replying, “Lol” and “Ok, ok.”
The conversation allegedly didn’t end there. National Review reports that Jones later called Coyner to elaborate on his twisted rationale — suggesting that conservative officials like Gilbert “should experience pain” so they would change their policies. In one particularly vile remark, he allegedly said Gilbert’s wife should watch her child die.
“Yes, I’ve told you this before,” Jones later texted Coyner after she criticized the comment. “Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”
Coyner publicly condemned the remarks, saying, “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. 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.”
The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) immediately called for Jones to withdraw from the race. “Conservatives are being executed for their beliefs, and text messages like these are part of the problem,” said RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper. “Virginia deserves far better.”
But Jones’ troubles don’t stop there. He’s also under scrutiny for a reckless driving case from 2022, in which he reportedly avoided jail time by claiming community service hours through his own political action committee — an entity that isn’t recognized as a charity under Virginia law.
Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares blasted his opponent’s judgment in a post on X, saying, “Instead of taking accountability for his actions, it appears that my opponent submitted a letter to the Court stating that he performed 500 hours of ‘community service’ for his own PAC… to dodge potential jail time. This raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones’ judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General.”
Jones, who previously lost the 2021 Democratic primary, secured the nomination again in June for this year’s election. But with calls mounting for him to step aside — and damning messages painting a picture of rage and moral decay — his campaign may not survive the fallout.
The revelations have sent shockwaves through Virginia politics, sparking outrage across party lines. For a man seeking the state’s top law enforcement office, his words may prove the ultimate disqualifier.
