Sean Spicer says Democrats are doomed in Virginia following the scandalous text messages from Jay Jones, the party’s candidate for attorney general. Spicer made the prediction during his Thursday show, which aired immediately prior to Virginia’s gubernatorial debate.
During the debate, Democrat Abigail Spanberger refused to call on Jones to withdraw from the race despite widespread outcry over his vulgar text messages. At one point, Spanberger stood awkwardly silent as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears pressed her for a response.
“What Jay Jones did is going to sink that entire ticket and propel everyone on the Republican side to victory,” Spicer said on his show.
Over the past week, Virginia Democrats have dodged questions about Jones’ text messages, which National Review first reported. Those messages included attacks on Republicans and a particular disdain for former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Jones said he hoped Gilbert’s kids “die in their mother’s arms.”
“Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time,” Jones wrote in the messages to Republican state Del. Carrie Coyner.
Spicer’s panelists, which included The Daily Signal’s Rob Bluey, journalist Lyndsay Keith, and commentator Arynne Wexler, discussed the impact of the Jones controversy. Virginians have already started early voting ahead of Election Day on Nov. 4.
“This is unacceptable language,” Keith said. “If that’s what’s in your heart and it has come out publicly, then you should not be a public servant, especially after the violence that this country has seen in the last year, most recently with the killing of Charlie Kirk.”
“That’s a sick man,” Spicer said of Jones.
“It is sick, and on a personal level, Sean, I’m hoping he is remorseful, but there needs to be accountability here. There is just a lack of accountability on the Left and among Democrats,” Bluey said. “It was four years ago when Terry McAuliffe made a comment that was not nearly as controversial as what Jay Jones said. That was a turning point in that particular election with Glenn Youngkin.”
During a debate with Youngkin in 2021, McAuliffe made a blunder that benefited his Republican opponent at a time when parental rights and education were top issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” McAuliffe, the former Democrat governor, said on the debate stage.
Spicer predicted that Jones’ scandal would benefit Republicans this November, and not just in Virginia.
“I firmly believe, for the record, that Jack Ciattarelli is going to win in New Jersey and [Republicans] are will carry all three constitutional offices in Virginia,” Spicer said. “This is a watershed moment exactly like Terry McAuliffe four years ago.”
Even though Jones apologized to Gilbert, he has declined to exit the race—and Virginia Democrats have stopped short of calling for him to do so.
“I’m so deeply, deeply sorry for what I said,” Jones told WRIC in Richmond. “I wish that it hadn’t happened, and I would take it back if I could.”
In addition to the Virginia election, Spicer covered a range of other topics Thursday with his panelists, including:
- President Donald Trump’s historic peace deal with Israel and Hamas, resulting in the forthcoming release of Israeli hostages. Trump allies have suggested he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
- The federal government shutdown, which began Oct. 1 and continues with no end in sight. Both parties are blaming each other for the impasse.
- California’s gubernatorial race, where Democrat candidate Katie Porter is facing backlash after her own embarrassing blunders.
Watch the full show on YouTube.
