Virginia’s political landscape shifted completely after an intense re-election battle. Carrie Coyner unfortunately lost her bid for a third term in the House of Delegates to Democratic challenger Lindsey Dougherty. This loss comes in the wake of a shocking series of text messages that recently emerged. In these chats, Coyner and fellow Republican primary candidate Jay Jones joked about decapitating or shooting rival historical figures and political enemies.
In October, Coyner publicly shared messages from Jones, which included alarming comments such as, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” and “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.” These incendiary messages, sent in 2022, understandably prompted grave concerns for Jones’s fitness for public office. Coyner condemned his remarks, stating, “It’s disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.”
The exchange happened at a moment when political violence has become a prominent feature of political discourse throughout the United States. The fallout from Jones’s remarks went further than his own candidacy; they muddied the waters for Abigail Spanberger’s bid to become Virginia’s first female governor. Though Spanberger strongly condemned Jones’s texts, she stressed that it was voters who should decide his fate.
Jones, who went on to win the Virginia attorney general race in the wake of the hubbub, later voiced remorse for his statements. “I’m disgraceful, shamed, and remorseful,” he said. “I cannot take back what I said. All I can do is take full responsibility and extend my heartfelt apology. His election victory is historic, but best understood within the frame of ongoing national conversations about political violence and accountability.
Coyner’s loss to Dougherty signals a growing progressive political climate across Virginia. In the election results, Dougherty was ahead with 52.5% of the vote versus Coyner’s 47.3%. This result represents an important turning point. With Democrats making unprecedented inroads into Republican-held offices, Spanberger has already made some big wins to lock down a few important houses.
The consequences from the racist, misogynist text messages are still playing out. Donald Trump has attacked Jones’s candidacy, calling him “a radical left lunatic.” This announcement further inflamed an already charged political landscape. Here party loyalty versus public perception injected a layer of complexity.
Jones’s victory in that backdrop to the backlash illustrates the still-divided state Virginia finds itself in politically. Those comments sparked a storm of controversy. Members of the public are right to call out these double standards for public officials, especially when their dog-whistle speech suggests violence.