Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has called on Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones to withdraw from the race after leaked text messages surfaced showing Jones mocking the death of former Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox. The texts, reportedly sent in 2021, referred to Cox’s passing as “good news,” sparking bipartisan outrage and calls for accountability. Youngkin said the remarks “disgrace the office” Jones seeks and show “a complete lack of respect for public service.”
Jones issued an apology after the texts were made public, calling his words “stupid and insensitive.” He stated that they do not reflect his values and that he regrets sending them. Despite the apology, Youngkin urged Democrats to take responsibility and demand Jones’s withdrawal, saying, “If this is who Democrats choose to elevate, it says everything about their priorities.” Republican leaders echoed the governor’s call, describing the messages as “cruel and unbecoming of a leader.”
Political observers noted that the controversy could derail Jones’s campaign, which had sought to portray him as a unifying candidate. Several Democratic officials have so far declined to comment, while GOP strategists said the episode underscores what they describe as a growing culture of contempt toward conservatives within Democratic circles. The incident adds new tension to Virginia’s already heated election season as candidates navigate the fallout.
