Overview

• National Review first published the 2022 messages, and recipient Carrie Coyner confirmed the exchange and called it disturbing and disqualifying.
• Jones acknowledged the texts’ authenticity, issued a written apology to Todd Gilbert and his family, and said he takes full responsibility.
• The Republican Attorneys General Association and other GOP officials urged Jones to withdraw from the attorney general race.
• Democratic figures including Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi condemned the rhetoric and said Jones must take accountability.
• The disclosures are fueling scrutiny of Jones’s 2022 reckless‑driving case and community‑service arrangement as early voting continues ahead of the Nov. 4 election.