Texts on Jay Jones murder dominate Virginia governor’s debate in hometown

HAMPTON ROADS, Virginia – The scandal over Virginia Democratic candidate Jay Jones’ texts contemplating the murder of a rival overshadowed the state’s top race as Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger descended on Jones’s Hampton Roads, Va., backyard for their gubernatorial fight Thursday.

Earle-Sears — who also represented neighboring Virginia Beach, Va., in the state Legislature two decades ago — and Spanberger met Thursday at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., for their one and only debate appearance.

At the debate, hosted by Nexstar’s Hampton Roads affiliate WAVY, Earle-Sears intervened several times to pressure Spanberger to call Jones out and to chastise her for giving similarly indirect answers to questions about whether biological males should be able to use women’s restrooms.

But Jones’ political allies in his hometown — most of whom are also at the highest levels of Virginia state leadership — have redoubled their support for his candidacy for attorney general while providing measured criticism of his comments threatening the life of former House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS PUBLISHES AD LINKING ABIGAIL SPANBERGER TO JAY JONES AFTER VIOLENT TEXTS RESURFACE

Attorney general candidate Jay Jones, D-Norfolk. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, spoke to reporters immediately after the debate as Spanberger’s official surrogate.

Scott, who represents the area directly across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, Va., denied being frustrated that Spanberger was pressured by Earle-Sears to call on Jones to drop out.

“It was a double standard for Spanberger,” he said. “How many times has Winsome Sears denounced the violence that Donald Trump has repeatedly repeated?”

WATCH: KAINE DEFENDS JONES AMID TEXTS FROM AG CANDIDATE PREDICTING MURDER OF GOP LEADER: ‘ALWAYS A SUPPORTER’

“He literally said Liz Cheney should be shot in her face — I think that’s trying to make it seem like this is all Abigail Spanberger’s business,” said Scott, who referenced Trump’s comment during a discussion criticizing the “war hawk” side in which he said the then-Wyoming congresswoman would speak differently if she were in “war zones” where neoconservatives want to send American soldiers.

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Del. Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, greets his family in the gallery during the opening of the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly at the Capitol, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Virginia. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, file)

Scott said that as House speaker, Earle-Sears — who ceremonially presides over the Senate — was an “embarrassment” for the legislature in “the oldest continuous democracy in the Western Hemisphere.”

LIBERAL MEDIA DECREASES DEM VIRGINIA AG SCANDAL JAY JONES’ TEXTS OF HOPE FANTASYING MURDER OF GOP LEGISLATOR

“This was not the Virginia way,” he said, before blaming the media for not holding their fire until Jones debated state Attorney General Jason Miyares at the University of Richmond on Thursday.

Before the Sears-Spanberger debate, Scott visited Del’s home district. Carrie Coyner, who shared Jones’ damning texts with the press, called the outrage a political diversion and urged parishioners at a house of worship to stay the course for Democrats.

Speaking from the pulpit of a predominantly black church in Hopewell, Virginia, Scott called coverage of the Jones scandal a distraction and urged congregants to vote for him in November.

“We have to figure something out,” he said. “We must be mature in our thinking and the way we vote must not allow us to be distracted.”

“They want us to be distracted by the text message here, or by something else, so stay focused,” he said.

EARLE-SEARS EXITS IN HAPPY DEBATE AS SPANBERGER AVOIDS QUESTIONS FROM JAY JONES

Local reports added that Scott condemned the substance of Jones’ comments before his speech at the church, calling them “harmful, reckless and wrong.”

Senate President L. Louise Lucas, D-Chesapeake, represents the area directly south of Jones’ old district in the House of Delegates and attested to his character in a joint statement with the political leader of Senate Democrats — whose district is just across Norfolk, Va., from the embattled candidate.

“Like all Virginians, we were deeply troubled by Jay’s comments and we condemn his remarks without hesitation,” wrote Lucas and Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Newport News.

“Let’s be very clear: There is no place for political violence or violent rhetoric in our public discourse and Jay must take responsibility for his actions.”

But the two leaders then decided to attack Attorney General Jason Miyares as President Donald Trump’s “pro bono lawyer.”

“CONSUMED WITH HATE”: WINSOME SEARS, JASON MIYARES UNCHARGED ON DEMOCRAT JAY JONES FOR VIOLENT TEXTS

We “will not allow this moment to overshadow the issues of this election or distract from the urgent fight we are all in for Virginia’s future,” they said.

“The choice before us is much bigger than this mistake: it is the type of leadership we need for our families, our rights and our democracy.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Virginia’s Hampton Roads – the collective name for the cities and counties of Norfolk, Virginia, and so named because of the mix of shipping canals and rivers – is a perpetually changing area, although its individual jurisdictions are reliable and partisan. It is also known as the anchor point of the American naval fleet on the continent.

Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Hampton, Virginia, tend to be heavily Democratic, while Virginia Beach and other municipalities are more moderate, especially with right-wing Sailors’ weight.

The area’s congressional district, which includes Hampton Roads and the “East Coast” across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, is currently represented by Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va. – is Republican but often ping-pongs between parties every few cycles.

Prior to his run for attorney general and his tenure at the Biden administration’s Justice Department, Jones was a Democratic state delegate representing Norfolk, Virginia, where the two gubernatorial candidates, Earle-Sears and Spanberger, engaged in a heated debate Thursday. Jones’ father, of the same name, held the seat from 1988 to 2002, while Jones Jr. held it from 2018 to 2022.

Jones Sr. unsuccessfully challenged Kaine for the role of lieutenant governor in 2001 alongside Gov. Mark Warner – who is also now Kaine’s partner in the Senate.

Jones Sr. died in May and appeared to be close to the two future senators who either defended or remained silent about his son’s scandal.

In remarks to Fox News Digital, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., referred to his knowledge of the younger Jones for “25 years.”