When a political candidate jokes about shooting someone, it’s not just a poor choice of words—it’s a clear red flag. In Virginia, Democrat Jay Jones, who is running for attorney general, sent text messages back in 2022 saying he would rather shoot a Republican lawmaker than two of the worst dictators in history. Yes, you read that right. Jones said he would give both bullets to then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, instead of Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot.
That is not just shocking. It is dangerous. And yet, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refuses to say whether Jones should drop out of the race. She told CNN that it’s “not her business” and that the people of Virginia can decide for themselves. But when someone makes threats like this, it’s not just a local issue—it’s a matter of principle, and it goes to the heart of what kind of leaders we should accept in public life.
Jones has since apologized, calling his words “embarrassing and shameful.” But apologies after the fact don’t erase what was said or the mindset behind it. This wasn’t a one-off slip. He compared a sitting Republican lawmaker to mass murderers and said plainly that he’d rather shoot the American than the tyrants. That’s not just political trash talk—that’s hateful and violent thinking.
What’s worse is the silence from Democrat leaders like Pelosi. When asked if Jones should step aside, she dodged, saying, “That’s up to the people.” But this is the same Nancy Pelosi who pressured President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race. So she’ll get involved when it suits her party’s power plays, but not when it’s about basic decency and public safety?
Let’s be clear: if a Republican candidate had said something like this, the media would be in full meltdown mode. Every Democrat from coast to coast would be demanding that person resign, drop out, and disappear from politics forever. But when it’s one of their own, they suddenly find their lips sealed.
Virginia’s Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares have both called Jones’ remarks disqualifying. They understand what’s at stake. If we allow people who make violent threats to hold the office of attorney general—the top law enforcement job in the state—we send a message that threats are just part of the game.
That’s not how a constitutional republic works. We are a nation of laws, not of threats or intimidation. The Founders gave us a system where ideas must be debated through reason and persuasion, not through fear or force. James Madison warned us that factions and passions must be restrained by the rule of law, or liberty would be lost.
This moment is a test of our civic standards. Do we still believe that character counts in public office? Do we still expect our leaders to speak with respect, even toward their opponents?
Jay Jones’ comments failed that test. And Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to take a stand shows just how far the Democrat Party has fallen from its own former standards. If they won’t call out their own, then it’s up to the voters to do it for them.
The people of Virginia have a chance this November to reject this kind of rhetoric by voting for leaders like Winsome Earle-Sears and Jason Miyares—people who believe in law, order, and civil discourse.
America is watching. And Virginia has the chance to show that we still take words seriously, especially when they come from those who seek power. Let’s hope the voters choose wisely. Our republic depends on it.
