RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republicans are seizing on recently unearthed violent rhetoric from Virginia's Democratic candidate for attorney general in a push to re-shape the state's governor's race — and tarnish the Democratic Party nationally — less than a month before Election Day.

President Donald Trump , like Republicans across Virginia, called for Democratic state attorney general candidate Jay Jones to quit the race over the weekend. The Republican president described Jones as a “radical left lunatic” and sought to link him to former Rep. Abigail Spanberger , Virginia's Democratic candidate for governor.

“Abigail Spanberger, who is running for Governor, is weak and ineffective, and refuses to acknowledge what this Lunatic has done,” Trump wrote on social media.

The clash over Jones'

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