Attorney General Polling Flips Amid ‘Strategic’ Release of Jay Jones’ Texts

RICHMOND, Va. – The early October release of violent text messages sent three years ago by now Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones was strategic, according to political scientists.

The National Review published an article, after ballots were printed and early voting opened, that unearthed texts from Jones sent on Aug. 8, 2022. He stated in the messages that he wanted to shoot then-Republican Speaker of the House of Delegates Todd Gilbert, as well as other violent remarks made toward Gilbert’s family.

Jones accidentally sent these messages to Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, according to her statement shared on Facebook. Jones meant to send them to a man named “Mark,” whose identity is still unknown, but kept texting Coyner after she told him it was her phone.

Afterwards, Coyner immediately shared the conversation with Gilbert, she said. Coyner and Jones have not spoken since, and Coyner did not know about the release of the texts, she told Virginia Political News.

Part of the violent texts mirror a scene from the show “The Office,” where character Michael Scott refers to coworker Toby in the same context. However, in screenshots shared on Virginia Political News, Jones never references the show, and he justifies the texts he made. It is unknown if he said anything when he followed up with Coyner on the phone.

It is still unknown who gave the text messages to reporter Audrey Fahlberg, who broke the story, and it remains unclear why the messages were not shared with the public immediately after they were given to Gilbert. It is also unknown if Gilbert reported the texts to an authority in fear of violent action toward his family.

Political Scientists Weigh In 

Alex Keena, an associate political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the delay was a tactic to influence the November election.

“If that information had come out before the primary election, then it might have tanked his campaign,” Keena said. “And so what this effectively does is it weakens him at a time when the general election is only a few weeks away.”

If Virginians elect Jones as the next attorney general, he could still be asked to step down by the newly elected governor. If Jones resigns, the chief deputy attorney general will act as attorney general temporarily until another election occurs, according to state law.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger immediately denounced the texts after they resurfaced. At the gubernatorial debate a week later, Spanberger was asked if she still endorsed Jones. She said the information was likely withheld from voters for a reason, but it is up to them to make a choice.

“It is up to every person to make their own decision,” Spanberger said when pressed to directly answer the question. “I am running my race to serve Virginia and that is what I intend to do.”

Amanda Wintersieck, associate political science professor and director of the Institute for Democratic Empowerment and Pluralism at VCU, said no one in the Democratic Party will ask Jones to step down this late in the campaign.

“There’s no indication of cracks in the Democratic Party on this,” Wintersieck said. “No one in the Democratic Party is calling on him to step down, including Spanberger.”

No Big Democratic Push to Drop Out

Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares currently leads the polls with 49.5%, while Jones has 44.6%, according to a poll done by the Trafalgar Group, a political and corporate research group. A previous poll by the same group two weeks before the texts resurfaced had Jones at 48.8% and Miyares at 45%.

Virginia Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine has several times stated support for Jones, but called the comments indefensible.

“I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years,” Kaine said. “I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff.”

Kaine also said on Meet the Press that Jones should not drop out of the race.

President Donald Trump commented on the situation on Oct. 19. Trump referred to Jones as an “animal,” and said anybody should be put in prison for what he said, according to Center Square.

Jones made his first public appearance since the scandal at the Oct. 16 attorney general debate at the University of Richmond.

“I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry,” Jones said.

Jatia Wrighten, assistant professor of political science at VCU, also called the timing strategic. She said the release of these texts was to hurt his political chances of winning since Jones was ahead in the polls.

The media has pointed to the texts as another example of political violence.

“Political violence has been a cornerstone of American democracy since its inception,” Wrighten said. “The shock and awe about the fact that political violence exists is seemingly hypocritical, but also, I think in this country, we have become desensitized to political violence because it does occur so frequently.”

Both Jones and Gilbert were contacted for comment, but did not respond.

By Sapphira Mohammed
VCU Capital News Service

Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.