During a debate on Thursday night, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman from Virginia, avoided a straightforward yes-or-no answer regarding her ongoing support for attorney general candidate Jay Jones, after controversial text messages were revealed.
Text messages from Jones, dating back to 2022, resurfaced in October and included disturbing remarks, such as a desire to harm Republican congressmen. In the debate against Winsome Earle Sears, the Republican candidate and current Lieutenant Governor, Spanberger was asked if she was aware of these messages prior to their release and if she still backed Jones.
“Jay Jones’ comments are absolutely abhorrent. I condemned them when I learned of them, and as a mother, as a public servant, and as a candidate for governor, I will condemn them every chance I get. I condemn them,” Spanberger stated. She emphasized the necessity for all candidates, regardless of their political affiliation, to denounce violence and violent rhetoric.
However, when Earle Sears pressed whether she would require Jones to resign, Spanberger shifted her response, accusing Sears of condemning violence only when it affected her side. She argued that the Republican candidate has often referred to her as the “enemy.”
At the conclusion of a 60-second reflection, the host again sought clarity from Spanberger about her support for Jones, noting he hadn’t heard an answer regarding the endorsement.
“In fact, it appears these were people who published text messages and kept them for years,” Spanberger remarked.
Earle Sears interjected again, pressing Spanberger on when she became aware of the messages and what actions she took in response. The moderators urged Sears to let Spanberger respond. The Democratic candidate stated he learned about the messages “the day it was released” and condemned them immediately upon becoming informed.
“As we move forward, voters now have all this information, information that might have been kept back for political reasons. But now, it’s their decision based on this knowledge,” Spanberger said.
The host repeated the yes-or-no question regarding Spanberger’s support for Jones.
“We are all running our own campaigns. I think my opponent pointed that out concerning the lieutenant governor candidate. Each individual must determine their path. I’m focused on serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, and that’s my primary goal,” she explained.
A text from Jones to a former colleague in August 2022 referenced giving a Republican House Speaker “two bullets in the head” and urinating on his grave. Following the message’s release, Jones took “full responsibility,” extending apologies to Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family.
“Rereading those words makes me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry,” Jones stated. “I’ve reached out to Chairman Gilbert, his wife, and their children to apologize personally. I can’t undo my words, but I do take my responsibilities seriously and offer my sincere apologies.”
Although Spanberger condemned the message, she has not called for Jones’s resignation from the race.
The competition between Spanberger and Earle Sears has heated up in recent months, with polls in October showing Spanberger’s approval at 49.2% compared to Sears’ 45.2%, while 5.6% of voters remained undecided. This was a slight decrease for Spanberger from a September poll where she held 50.3%, with Sears at 43.2% and 6.6% undecided.
