MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Monday urged Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones to drop out after leaked texts showed Jones fantasizing about the assassination of a GOP lawmaker.
The “Morning Joe” co-host condemned the Democrats’ remarks, which have sparked widespread outrage since resurfacing.
“He should probably be forced to drop out of the race,” Scarborough told “Morning Joe” viewers on Monday.
Conservatives quickly seized on Scarborough’s comments, saying the liberal host’s stance signaled that Democrats should “pay attention.”
Even MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough calls for Democrat Jay Jones to withdraw from the Virginia AG race:
“He should probably be forced to withdraw from the race, and probably is doing a lot there.”
Good for him. pic.twitter.com/SyHD6HizQV
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 6, 2025
“You know it’s serious when you’ve lost MSNBC,” the Republican Attorneys General Association said on X.
“Joe Scarborough has been pushing Democrats on crime and this sort of stuff. He’s a pretty big indicator that the Democrats have gone too far left and they might want to pay attention,” commentator Erick Erickson added.
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet also chimed in, saying: “Even MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough calls for Democrat Jay Jones to withdraw from the Virginia AG race… Good for him.”
The backlash follows revelations that Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general, sent 2022 texts wishing GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his children would be shot. The vile messages, sent to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner, forced Jones to apologize — yet Democrats have continued to back him.
APPALLING: Democrat AG candidate’s texts surface calling for deadly violence against GOP leader
