RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia's Democratic candidate for attorney general has apologized for widely condemned text messages from 2022 that revealed him suggesting that a prominent Republican get “two bullets to the head.”
The texts put the Democratic challenger, Jay Jones, on the defensive in what has been a hard-hitting campaign. Early voting is well underway in Virginia ahead of the November general election.
Jones' campaign didn't challenge the accuracy of the texts, first reported by The National Review, and he offered a public apology to Todd Gilbert, the target of the messages. Jones said he took “full responsibility for my actions.” Gilbert was speaker of Virginia's House of Delegates at the time of the text messages but is no longer a legislator.
Jones has faced a torrent of bipartisan criticism since the messages surfaced. Jones is challenging Republican incumbent Jason Miyares for the job as Virginia's top prosecutor.
Miyares ripped into Jones on Saturday, questioning his challenger's fitness for the job.
“You have to be coming from an incredibly dark place to say what you said,” Miyares told reporters. “Not by a stranger. By a colleague. Somebody you had served with. Someone you have worked with.”
Jones and Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner spoke in a phone conversation following the text exchange, in which Jones described Gilbert’s children dying in the arms of their mother, according to the National Review’s report.
“I have been a prosecutor, and I have been obviously serving as attorney general,” Miyares said. “I have met quietly one-on-one with victims. There is no cry like the cry of a mother that lost her child. None.”
A spokesperson for the Virginia House Republican caucus, contacted on Saturday by The Associated Press, said Gilbert was not commenting on the text messages. Gilbert stepped down as a legislator to become a federal prosecutor this year but resigned a month later.
The revelation about the text messages shook up the campaign and comes as both parties seek advantage in statewide races being closely watched for trends heading into next year's midterm elections, when control of Congress is at stake. And it comes amid an escalating threat of political violence in the country following the shooting deaths of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and former Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
In Virginia, other Democrats running for statewide office didn't mince words in criticizing Jones.
Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said in a statement Friday that she “spoke frankly with Jay about my disgust with what he had said and texted. I made clear to Jay that he must fully take responsibility for his words." She vowed to ”always condemn violent language in our politics.”
Ghazala Hashmi, the Democrat running for lieutenant governor, said “political violence has no place in our country and I condemn it at every turn." Hashmi added that "we must demand better of our leaders and of each other.” Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately in Virginia.
The Republican Attorneys General Association said Jones should withdraw from the campaign for his “abhorrent” text messages. The group's chairman, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, said the messages were unacceptable "from someone who wants to represent law enforcement.”
“There is no place for political violence, including joking about it – especially from an elected official," Kobach said.
Jones did not hold elected office when he sent the text messages about Gilbert to Coyner, who is seeking reelection in a competitive House district. Jones had formerly served as a state legislator, and stepped down in 2021.
In his texts, Jones wrote: “Three people two bullets ... Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot ... Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Pol Pot was the leader of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
Conyer replied: “Jay ... Please stop.” Jones responded: “Lol ... Ok, ok.”
In his statement Friday, Jones said: “Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed and sorry.”
“I have reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize directly to him, his wife Jennifer, and their children," he added. “I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.”
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Schreiner reported from Shelbyville, Kentucky.
FILE - Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares speaks during an interview at the Office of the Attorney General in Richmond, Va., May 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly, File)
In this screenshot taken from video provided by WRIC News, Democratic candidate for attorney general Jay Jones speaks with an interviewer Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Richmond, Va., about widely condemned text messages he sent in 2022. (WRIC via AP)
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ukrainian athletes talked about an “unpleasant” Paralympics in Milan Cortina because of the return of the Russian flag and anthem.
The flag flew at the Paralympics for the first time since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and the anthem was played for the first time at a major global sporting event since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine boycotted the opening ceremony last week and was set to boycott the closing ceremony on Sunday as well.
Athletes from both countries have been expressing how proud they are of representing their nations during the ongoing war.
On Saturday, Ukraine and Russian teams competed against each other in a Para cross-country mixed relay race, with Ukraine earning a silver medal and Russia finishing in sixth place.
“As you know, the relay is about the unity of the team, and that was painful and unpleasant,” Ukrainian skier Iryna Bui told The Associated Press through a translator in a telephone interview. “So we are happy that today we were on the podium and that we are proving our strength.”
Bui did not compete in that relay but won a silver medal in the women's Para biathlon sprint pursuit standing on Friday. She will also compete in the 20-kilometer interval start on Sunday, the final day of the Milan Cortina Games.
She said it was “shocking” and “awful” to see the Russian flag and anthem at the Games.
“It is horrible indeed to see this, this flag that is soaked in blood of Ukrainians, and they are proud of it," she said. "And I ask myself what is happening in this world now.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago ignited Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, causing suffering for civilians and harrowing ordeals for soldiers while rewriting the post-Cold War security order. The fighting has entered its fifth year, with the number of casualties — people killed, wounded of missing — estimated in the millions combining both sides.
A push for peace has not progressed amid the difficulty of ending reconciling key differences such as the future of Russian-occupied Ukrainian land and postwar security for Ukraine.
“We constantly read the news, and we stay in touch with our families and worry about Ukraine,” Bui said. "We have been living under stress for four years and as athletes, we understand that we represent our country on the international stage, and now it is very important to help Ukraine with our results and our victories.
“Our goal is to fight in every race and the team is highly motivated,” she said. “We want to bring Ukrainians victories and give them something positive in their life.”
Russian athletes are back competing under their own flag in the Winter Paralympics after years of having to do so as neutral athletes because of the country’s doping violations and military conflicts.
The return of the Russian flag and anthem has signaled a possible full-fledged return to the Olympic circles ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The International Paralympic Committee gave wildcard entries to Russian athletes, a decision that upset Ukraine and a few other nations that boycotted the opening ceremony last week. Athletes from Russia’s close ally Belarus also were allowed to compete under wildcard entries.
“There is still a war in Ukraine," Hryhorii Vovchynskii, captain of the skiing and biathlon team, told the AP. "I think a country who invades Ukraine and start a war with Ukraine can’t be competing with its athletes.”
Vovchynskii, who is Bui's wife and won a silver medal in Para biathlon at Milan Cortina, said he doesn't pay attention to the Russians' presence.
“It felt like they were not there, they didn't exist,” he said through a translator.
Vovchynskii said Ukrainians were receiving "a lot of support" from athletes from other countries at Milan Cortina.
A pair of German athletes appeared to stage a protest in the podium ceremony when Russia won a gold this week.
Ukraine’s Paralympic committee a few days ago accused local organizers and the International Paralympic Committee of subjecting Ukrainian athletes and coaches to “systematic pressure” at the Games. Organizers defended their actions.
Ahead of the final day of Milan Cortina on Sunday, Russia was fifth in the medals table with five golds, while Ukraine was seventh with three golds.
Some of the Russian athletes tried to avoid talking too much about politics but didn't hide their pride about competing under their own flag and hearing their national anthem on the podium.
Para alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina said it was “really special” to see the Russian flag fly at the Paralympics again.
Para snowboarder Filipp Shebbo said it was “perfect” for Russians.
“A good moment for Russia, for the athletes," he said. "Hopefully this will continue. We had been waiting for this for a long time.”
AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
Varvara Voronchikhina, of Russia, poses on the podium after winning the gold medal in the alpine skiing women's giant slalom standing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
A volunteer holds the Ukrainian flag to take part in the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
