House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that he continues to support Virginia Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones despite backlash over text messages in which Jones appeared to fantasize about a Republican lawmaker being shot, as reported by Breitbart.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Jeffries said Jones’ apology was sufficient.

“The attorney general candidate has appropriately apologized for his remarks, and I know his remarks have been condemned across the board by Democrats in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond,” Jeffries said. “And that’s the right thing to do.”

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The text messages, which surfaced earlier this month, were sent on August 8, 2022, to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. In the messages, Jones allegedly made violent comments about then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family.

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“Three people, two bullets,” one of Jones’ texts read. Another stated, “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.”

The messages immediately drew condemnation from Republicans, including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who called on Jones to withdraw from the race.

“This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying,” Youngkin said in a statement.

“Jay Jones said that ‘Gilbert gets two bullets to the head’ and then hoped his children would die. Read those words again. There is no ‘gosh, I’m sorry’ here. Jones doesn’t have the morality or character to drop out of this race, and his running mates Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and every elected Democrat in Virginia don’t have the courage to call on him to step away from this campaign in disgrace.”

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Jones, who previously served as a state delegate, issued an apology shortly after the messages became public, describing his comments as “deeply inappropriate.”

“I regret my words and understand the harm they caused,” Jones said. “I take full responsibility and apologize to Speaker Gilbert and his family.”

Despite the controversy, prominent Democrats have continued to stand by Jones. During a recent debate between Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger and Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Spanberger refused to withdraw her endorsement of Jones.

“We just want to clarify — as of now, you still endorse Jay Jones as attorney general?” the debate moderator asked.

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“I’m saying, as of now, it’s up to every voter to make their own individual decision,” Spanberger responded.

“I am running for governor. I am accountable for the words that I say, for the acts that I take, for the policies that I have put out. I am responsible for the policies I put out and the work I will endeavor to do tirelessly for the people.”

Spanberger said she condemned Jones’ rhetoric when the texts were first made public but stopped short of rescinding her endorsement.

Jones remains in the race as Democratic leaders, including Jeffries, continue to back his campaign despite growing criticism over his past remarks.

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