(The Center Square) – After Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family escaped a firebombing at his Harrisburg residence earlier this year, the first-term Democrat’s calls for civility amid multiplying acts of political violence have drawn national attention.
And on Tuesday, he extended the message of moral clarity to the fallout of disturbing text messages sent by a fellow Democrat running for Virginia attorney general that were released on Oct. 3, two weeks after voters began casting ballots for the Nov. 4 general election.
“Governor Shapiro has been loud and clear that leaders need to speak and act with moral clarity and stand up against the hatred, the dangerous rhetoric, and the political violence that is gripping our country,” said Manuel Bonder, the governor’s campaign spokesman, in a statement to The Center Square.
In 2022, former state House Del. Jay Jones sent texts to another legislator criticizing Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, accusing him of raising “little fascists” that he hoped would die in his wife’s arms from gunshot wounds to change his mind on firearm policy.
In another message, he joked that if given two bullets to kill Gilbert alongside former dictators Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot, he’d shoot the speaker twice.
So far, prominent Democratic leaders in the state have condemned the texts, though none have told him to withdraw from the election – much to the alarm of Republican critics.
Rally Virginia, a conservative grassroots group, on Tuesday called on Jones “to do the right thing and drop out,” although even if he does, state law makes it clear that his name will remain on the ballot.
The group, which has endorsed incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, said his messages were “unacceptable from a public official.”
It also pointed to Jones’ past controversies, including a 2022 reckless driving charge and a probation deal that required 500 hours of community service with his political action committee, adding, “Jay knows as well as we do that this was not legitimate service, and he believes the normal rules don’t apply to him.”
While Shapiro didn’t speak about Jones’s future in the race, his spokesman told The Center Square that Jones’ “rhetoric is reprehensible and inexcusable – period.”
“Violence, and calls for it, are never acceptable in our political process no matter who they are coming from or who they are targeting,” Bonder said.
Shirleen Guerra contributed to this report.
