A Texas state lawmaker running for Congress, Rep. Jolanda Jones, drew condemnation Wednesday after a televised interview on CNN in which she said she would respond to political opponents with violent force.

Jones made the remarks during an appearance on Erin Burnett’s program, telling the host that because she is “from the hood” she would escalate confrontations to physical harm.

“I’m from the hood, okay!? So when the bully comes like – if there are no rules you have to figure it out so Donald Trump has changed things,” Jones said.

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She went on to link her comments to what she described as Democrats losing support among certain constituencies: “And I think that’s why Democrats are losing black people. That’s why they’re losing poor people.”

Jones then described a violent escalation in blunt terms: “Because poor people, all they want is for us to fight, so if you hit me in my face, I’m not gonna punch you back in your face, I’m gonna go across your neck.”

She added an explicit call for political retribution directed at other states, saying, “You gotta hit hard enough where they won’t come back and so yeah, for the same way that I went to New York and spoke with governor Kathy Hochul and said that if they’re gonna try to wipe up out in Texas, we need to wipe out every Republican in New York and California, and Illinois.”

JUST IN: Texas House Democrat Jolanda Jones suggests she will slash Republicans in the neck if they “bully” her.

Jones is running for a United States House seat.

“I’m from the hood, okay?”

“So if you hit me in my face, I’m not going to punch you back in your face. I’m going to… pic.twitter.com/cpNFQ25cg5

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 22, 2025

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The exchange was notable not only for Jones’s language but for the soft response she received from the CNN host.

Burnett did not confront Jones about the violent phrasing or demand clarification during the live interview, a point that critics seized on afterward.

Jones is campaigning for the U.S. House seat in Texas’s 18th Congressional District.

Her campaign materials emphasize extensive domestic policy priorities and a combative approach toward Republican opponents.

On her campaign website, Jones lays out a slate of policy goals in language quoted directly from the site:

“In Congress, I will fight to stop Trump cuts to healthcare and Medicaid, Social Security, education, and veterans. I’ll fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand coverage for mental health care and substance abuse – and make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all of us,” Jones writes.

She also pledges to prioritize reproductive rights: “I’ve been fighting my entire career for women’s rights, bodies, and voices, and will never stop working to restore abortion rights to make sure women — not politicians — make their own healthcare decisions.”

Jones framed her campaign as a call to more aggressive Democratic action: “Everywhere I go, people ask why Democrats aren’t fighting harder. Join me – and together, let’s show them exactly how to fight Donald Trump,” the website states.

Jones’s remarks on CNN come amid heightened scrutiny of political rhetoric and the role media outlets play in moderating interviews.

Critics argued the host should have challenged Jones’s descriptions of violence and asked whether she was endorsing physical harm against political opponents.

Supporters of Jones have defended her statements as rhetorical and contextualized within a broader critique of political tactics and inequality; detractors said the comments cross a line by normalizing threats of physical violence.

The episode adds to a series of high-profile moments in which elected officials’ on-air comments have prompted debate about acceptable political discourse.

Federal and local law-enforcement agencies are typically sensitive to direct threats and language that could be interpreted as incitement.

Legal experts say that while heated rhetoric is protected in many circumstances as political speech, statements that amount to targeted threats or calls for violence can carry legal consequences depending on context and intent.

Jones’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment beyond the statements on her website.

The CNN segment remains available in archived clips and on the network’s digital platforms, where viewers can review the exchange in full.

As Jones continues her congressional bid, the incident is likely to be raised by opponents and media analysts alike, who will scrutinize both the lawmaker’s rhetoric and the network’s handling of her remarks.

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