Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones under fire over resurfaced text messages suggesting Republican should get "bullets to the head"

Jay Jones made the remark about then-speaker of the House of Delegates Todd Gilbert in resurfaced text messages from 2022. Jones apologized Friday.

Virginia’s Democratic nominee for attorney general faced bipartisan backlash Friday night after text messages from 2022 surfaced in which he suggested the top Republican in the state House of Delegates get “two bullets to the head.”

The messages by Jay Jones, who did not hold elected office at the time, were directed at then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert.

“Three people, two bullets,” the text from Jones, first reported by the National Review and later released by the Republican Attorneys General Association, reads. “Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot.”

“Spoiler,” Jones’ text reads. “Put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”

Jones did not deny the accuracy of the texts Friday night and said he takes “full responsibility” for his actions.