Tim Kaine defends Jay Jones despite text messages about Republican murder

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine defended his fellow Democrat, former Del. Jay Jones of Norfolk, as the attorney general candidate’s campaign unravels after texts surfaced depicting Jones contemplating the murder of a high-profile Republican.

Pressed before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, Kaine said Jones’ comments were “indefensible” but that he was “still supportive” of her running against incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares.

“Jay apologized,” Kaine said.

“I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years,” he said. “I think those statements were out of character, and he apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff.”

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When asked if the Jones controversy will affect other Democrats on the ballot, Kaine said the situation is a “significant challenge” for Jones but that he doesn’t think it will affect other races.

“I think he needs to explain it in a way that Virginia can see who he really is,” Kaine added.

Sen. Tim Kaine, seen in a candid Fox News Digital video, left, and Jay Jones at an event, right. (Charlie Creitz/Fox News Digital; Trevor Metcalfe/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service)

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., is atop the ticket against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the governor’s race, and Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi faces conservative commentator John Reid for lieutenant governor.

Fox News then followed up with Kaine, asking him if he doesn’t definitely believe Jones should quit.

“Yeah, I answered the question correctly, and I don’t think I can improve on the first answer,” Kaine said.

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Jones had, apparently accidentally, sent a text message to Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chester, a message about then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert moving on to Gilbert’s friendship with a recently deceased Democratic Party elder.

The texts were first brought to light Friday at National Review, and were later confirmed to Fox News Digital via multiple sources in Richmond, Virginia.

Jones had said the late Sen. Joe Johnson, D-Bristol, “leaked” Democratic assets to Gilbert and the GOP Caucus, before remarking: “If these guys die in front of me, I’ll go to their funerals in F— to their graves. Send them flooded.”

Virginia AG candidate once referenced in putting two bullets in GOP leader’s head, texts show

Jones then envisioned that Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, would be shot twice in the head if he were aligned with Cambodian Khmer Rouge dictator Pol Pot and former German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the executioner had only two bullets.

“Spoiler: Put Gilbert on the crew with the two worst people you know and he gets both bullets every time,” he added.

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He went on to suggest that Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer, were “raising little fascists.” The Gilberts have two young children.

Since the texts were sent in 2022, Gilbert resigned from the House of Delegates to briefly accept President Donald Trump’s nomination to be the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia based in Roanoke. He has since left this position.

The texts came a week after New Kent County documents showed Jones was accused of reckless driving on a notorious straight arrow stretch of Interstate 64 between Virginia Williamsburg and Richmond in the middle of the night.

Jones escaped the typical one-year prison sentence by filing 1,000 hours of community service separated between his own political PAC and the Virginia branch of the NAACP.

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A new Kent County, Virginia, told Fox News Digital that it’s not uncommon for traffic-related crimes to be prosecuted, with the defendant not receiving jail time during the Covid-19 era amid capacity and spacing concerns for more serious offenders.

Jones is scheduled to face Miyares at the University of Richmond on October 16 for their only debate, in which the Firestorm is sure to be a superior number.

Dan Scully and Tyler Olson of Fox News contributed to this report.