Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) confirmed Tuesday that he will continue supporting Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general, despite public backlash over disturbing messages Jones sent in 2022 advocating political violence.
CNN’s Manu Raju confronted Kaine on Capitol Hill about the recently unearthed text messages, in which Jones called for the assassination of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a Republican. One message went as far as stating that Gilbert would never alter his political views unless he and his wife were forced to watch the death of one of their children.
Initially, Kaine appeared to avoid questions as reporters pressed him for a response. He eventually addressed Raju directly, offering a short statement.
“The comments are completely indefensible,” Kaine said. “But 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.”
Kaine provided no further explanation and left without answering follow-up questions. His remarks place him among a number of Democrats who have criticized inflammatory rhetoric while continuing to endorse those responsible for it.
Democrat Virginia Senator Tim Kaine STILL backs Jay Jones, who fantasized about killing a Republican official and his children, and also supports killing cops.
KAINE: “I'm still supporting Jay Jones.” pic.twitter.com/3EXIFaGDXa
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 7, 2025
Jones has not denied sending the messages. His campaign issued a brief statement calling the texts “a mistake,” but offered no further elaboration. The candidate has not held a public press conference since the messages were made public.
The controversy raises broader questions about the standards of conduct expected from public officials and party leadership. While Kaine acknowledged the severity of the messages, his decision to continue backing Jones contradicts those concerns.
Kaine previously defended Hillary Clinton in 2016 after she characterized millions of Americans as a “basket of deplorables.” His continued support for Jones follows a similar pattern of downplaying incendiary language when politically convenient.
As of Wednesday morning, no senior Democratic leaders have called for Jones to step aside. The Virginia Democratic Party has also not issued a formal statement addressing the situation.