Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) defended Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, saying Jones should not withdraw from the race despite outrage over text messages in which he made violent comments about police officers and a fellow lawmaker.
The controversy centers on text messages from 2022, revealed earlier this month, that Jones sent while serving in the Virginia House of Delegates.
In the messages, Jones expressed hope that then-Speaker of the Virginia House Todd Gilbert (R) would die and that Gilbert’s children would be shot and killed, saying such a tragedy might change his stance on gun control.
The messages also included comments suggesting that he wanted to see more police officers die amid legislative debate over qualified immunity in Richmond.
The texts resurfaced during Jones’s campaign against incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is seeking reelection.
The race remains close as both candidates campaign across Virginia ahead of the November election.
During the interview, host Kristen Welker asked Kaine whether he believed Jones should step aside given the nature of the messages.
Kaine replied that he had known Jones for more than two decades and believed the messages were out of character.
“I’ve known Jay for 25 years,” Kaine said.
“He apologized for those remarks, and I believe him when he says they were out of character.”
Kaine, who served as Virginia’s governor from 2006 to 2010, went on to say that Jones should remain in the race, arguing that voters would ultimately decide whether the comments disqualify him.
When pressed by Welker about whether his answer would be the same if Jones were a Republican, Kaine responded, “Yes.”
Tim Kaine is asked if a Republican sent the same texts that Jay Jones did, would he call on them to drop out of the race?
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) October 19, 2025
Kaine: "Absolutely not."
The insane Democrat lies and spin to cover for this deranged lunatic continue. pic.twitter.com/p48mpSyWMU
The remarks drew sharp criticism from political observers and opponents who accused Kaine of downplaying violent rhetoric.
Jones’s campaign issued a statement reiterating his apology, saying the messages were “inexcusable” and that he had “grown and learned” from the incident.
Miyares’s campaign did not immediately respond to Kaine’s comments but previously condemned the messages as “deeply disturbing” and “unacceptable for any candidate seeking to be Virginia’s top law enforcement officer.”
The controversy follows a heated debate between Miyares and Jones last week, during which both candidates addressed public safety, police reform, and prosecutorial discretion.
According to campaign reports, Jones raised more than $500,000 in the 24 hours following the debate, signaling continued support from Democratic donors despite the scandal.
Political analysts say the race could have significant implications for Virginia’s approach to law enforcement policy.
Miyares, elected in 2021, has focused on combating violent crime, human trafficking, and fentanyl distribution.
Jones, a former state legislator and attorney from Norfolk, has emphasized criminal justice reform and expanded oversight of police departments.
The resurfaced text messages, first obtained by The National Review, have become a major issue in the campaign’s closing weeks. Gilbert, the subject of Jones’s remarks, has not commented publicly.
Jones remains on the ballot as Democratic leaders in Virginia continue to stand by him, while Republicans have used the controversy to question his fitness to serve as the state’s attorney general.
The election will be held on November 5.
