Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Virginia, has canceled a Thursday night fundraiser at the home of novelist David Baldacci, according to a person with the matter.
Why it matters: The scrubbed fundraiser is another indication that Jones' campaign is in crisis mode.
- Jones has acknowledged and apologized for texts he sent in 2022, where he mused about saving "two bullets" for the Republican House speaker in Virginia. The texts were first reported on Friday by National Review.
- Jones had not held a public event since Friday night, when he answered questions from Tyler Englander at the Richmond ABC affiliate. "The rhetoric has no place on our landscape," he said.
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) was also scheduled to attend the Thursday night fundraiser. Kaine told reporters on Tuesday that he is "still a supporter," while calling Jones' comments "indefensible." He also noted that "Jay has apologized."
Driving the news: Democratic donors received a memo from the Jones campaign that their donations would be refunded for the canceled fundraising, according to a person familiar with the matter.
- A representative for the Jones campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
- A spokesperson for Kaine also declined to comment.
Zoom out: The scandal has roiled Virginia's attorney general race, but with early voting having already started, many Democrats don't think that convincing Jones to drop out is a viable option.
- Most Virginia Democrats, including the state's two senators, have condemned the comments Jones made in 2022.
- But they are stopping short of calling on him to leave the race.
Zoom in: The campaign of Jason Miyares, Jones's opponent, is already up with a $1.5 million ad buy that hits Jones for the text messages.
- Virginia Delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones' texting partner in 2022, has alleged that Jones suggested over the phone in 2020 that a few police officers dying might stop them from killing other people, according to Richmond reporter Brandon Jarvis.
- He also reported that Jones denied that conversation.
