Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general, speaks to the audience during gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger's bus tour stop in Fairfax, Virginia on June 26, 2025. Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images/File

Top Virginia Democrats have sharply criticized attorney general nominee Jay Jones but are stopping short of calling on him to leave the race after newly revealed text messages showed he suggested that a colleague be shot.

Gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger and lieutenant governor nominee Ghazala Hashmi called Jones’ texts inexcusable, as did Virginia’s two Democratic senators.

US Sen. Tim Kaine was asked Monday by CNN’s Manu Raju if he still supports Jones, who apologized after the texts were revealed. “I do,” Kaine responded.

“The comm

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