"State of play: Leading Virginia Democrats, including the statewide ticket, have condemned the comments Jones made in 2022 suggesting a hypothetical scenario in which he would shoot the then-Republican House speaker and wished harm on his children. But none have called for Jones to step aside. Meanwhile, Republicans - including President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Gov. Glenn Youngkin - are demanding that Jones immediately drop out of the race."
"What they're saying: Jones, a former state delegate who resigned in 2021 to focus on his family, said in a statement Friday that "I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry" for his texts about then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert. But he initially framed the messages - first reported by National Review and independently verified by Axios - as part of a smear campaign in comments to Virginia Scope."
Leading Virginia Democrats, including the statewide ticket, condemned Jones' 2022 messages that suggested a hypothetical shooting of the then-Republican House speaker and wished harm on his children. None of those Democrats have called for Jones to step aside. National and state Republicans, including President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Gov. Glenn Youngkin, demanded that Jones immediately drop out of the race. Conservative commentators amplified the messages as evidence of hostile rhetoric, and GOP incumbent Jason Miyares launched a $1.5 million ad campaign centered on the messages. Jones apologized, calling himself embarrassed and sorry, but earlier portrayed the messages as part of a smear campaign.
Read at Axios
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