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 comments are completely indefensible. I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years, and those comments are very much out of character for him. So if I put the comments, which are clearly beyond the pale, against knowing this guy for 25 years, I’m still supporting Jay Jones,” he said.
The decision to scold but not abandon Jones speaks to the party’s overall desire to beat a prominent state-leve
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