Only On 8: Jay Jones speaks for first time about ‘disturbing’ texts he sent about top Virginia Republican

Note: The full 1-on-1 interview is included at the bottom of this article.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- In an exclusive 1-on-1 interview, Democratic candidate for attorney general Jay Jones is speaking for the first time on text messages he sent in which he described a former GOP House Speaker hypothetically being shot.

On Friday, Oct. 3, Carrie Coyner (R-Chesterfield) -- who is currently running for reelection in District 75, which includes all of Hopewell and parts of Chesterfield and Prince George counties -- issued a statement to 8News about a 2022 text message exchange between her and Jones.

In these texts, among other comments, Jones writes about a hypothetical scenario in which then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) would be shot.

"Three people, two bullets," he wrote. "Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head. Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time."

Coyner described these texts as "disgusting and unbecoming of any public official." After they came to light, Jones was heavily criticized -- including by both of his running mates. Gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and candidate for lieutenant governor Ghazala Hashmi each demanded he take accountability.

Late Friday evening, Jones sat down with 8News Capitol Reporter Tyler Englander for an exclusive interview to talk about this controversy.

You can watch that interview in full below.

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