Jay Jones, who is running to become Virginia's attorney general in 2025, has come under fire for a series of text messages calling for the death of political opponents and remarks about police officers. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Jones was already under fire after Coyner previously revealed 2022 text exchanges in which he suggested he would shoot then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert over Adolf Hitler. He also said Gilbert and his wife should have to watch his "fascist" children die.
At one point, Jones wrote, "Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head."
Jones is now facing calls from Republicans to drop out of the attorney general race.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Coyner said Jones, a Democrat, is unfit for office.
"My position is very clear. It is never acceptable to think that killing people is a justifiable method to achieve policy changes. Period. Anyone that advocates for killing someone for disagreeing with them is not qualified to serve," Coyner said.
Jones denied the new allegations.
"I did not say this. I have never believed and do not believe that any harm should come to law enforcement, period. Every single day, police officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities, and I am deeply grateful for their service and sacrifice. As Attorney General, I will work hand-in-hand with law enforcement to support their work," Jones told Virginia Scope.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Coyner and Jones.
A text message from Jay Jones to Del. Carrie Coyner. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Jones should abandon his campaign in light of the messages, saying they were "beyond disqualifying."
"This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying," Youngkin wrote in an X post Saturday. "Jay Jones said that ‘Gilbert gets two bullets to the head’ and then hoped his children would die. Read those words again."
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Meanwhile, no high-level Democrats have come out against Jones.
Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jay-jones-said-more-police-were-killed-would-reduce-shootings-civilians-according-virginia-lawmaker