'What Would It Take?' Earle-Sears Grills Spanberger Over Violent-Text Scandal

Paul Riverbank, 10/10/2025Virginia debate erupts over Spanberger's refusal to withdraw endorsement of candidate who sent violent texts.

At issue was Spanberger's endorsement of attorney general hopeful Jay Jones, whose recently leaked text messages left the audience at Northern Virginia Community College's debate hall in stunned silence. Jones had written about wanting to use "two bullets" on Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert rather than fictional dictators, and disturbingly, expressed desires about attending "their funerals to piss on their graves."

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears seized the moment. "He has said he wants to murder his political opponent – and not only that, his opponent's children," she declared, her voice carrying traces of genuine distress rather than mere political theater.

What followed was the kind of awkward political dance that makes campaign managers reach for the antacid. Spanberger, typically sure-footed in debates, seemed to stumble through a response that neither fully defended nor completely abandoned her endorsement.

"The comments that Jay Jones made are absolutely abhorrent. I denounced them when I learned of them," she offered, before pivoting to what felt like a carefully workshopped talking point about voter choice. The moment grew more uncomfortable when moderator Deanna Allbrittin, refusing to let the issue slide, pressed for clarity: "What you're saying is that as of now, you still endorse Jay Jones as attorney general?"

Spanberger's response landed with all the grace of a lead balloon: "I'm saying, as of now, it's up to every voter to make their own individual decision. I am running for governor. I am accountable for the words that I say."

The exchange took an even sharper turn when Earle-Sears, herself a mother, drove the point home with brutal efficiency. "You have little girls," she reminded Spanberger. "What would it take? Him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it?"

The controversy has since spilled beyond Virginia's borders, with former President Trump predictably calling for Jones to exit the race. Yet Jones remains on the ballot, creating a thorny dilemma for Democratic leadership.

For political observers, this debate moment crystallized a broader challenge facing candidates in today's hyperpartisan environment: how to balance party loyalty against moral imperatives. Spanberger's attempt to thread this needle – condemning the words while stopping short of withdrawing support – may prove to be a costly political miscalculation in a race where every misstep counts.

The usually staid Virginia gubernatorial debates erupted into raw emotion last night when Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger found herself cornered over her puzzling stance on a controversy that's rocked the state's political establishment.At issue was Spanberger's endorsement of attorney general hopeful Jay Jones, whose recently leaked text messages left the audience at Northern Virginia Community College's debate hall in stunned silence. Jones had written about wanting to use "two bullets" on Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert rather than fictional dictators, and disturbingly, expressed desires about attending "their funerals to piss on their graves."Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears seized the moment. "He has said he wants to murder his political opponent – and not only that, his opponent's children," she declared, her voice carrying traces of genuine distress rather than mere political theater.What followed was the kind of awkward political dance that makes campaign managers reach for the antacid. Spanberger, typically sure-footed in debates, seemed to stumble through a response that neither fully defended nor completely abandoned her endorsement."The comments that Jay Jones made are absolutely abhorrent. I denounced them when I learned of them," she offered, before pivoting to what felt like a carefully workshopped talking point about voter choice. The moment grew more uncomfortable when moderator Deanna Allbrittin, refusing to let the issue slide, pressed for clarity: "What you're saying is that as of now, you still endorse Jay Jones as attorney general?"Spanberger's response landed with all the grace of a lead balloon: "I'm saying, as of now, it's up to every voter to make their own individual decision. I am running for governor. I am accountable for the words that I say."The exchange took an even sharper turn when Earle-Sears, herself a mother, drove the point home with brutal efficiency. "You have little girls," she reminded Spanberger. "What would it take? Him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it?"The controversy has since spilled beyond Virginia's borders, with former President Trump predictably calling for Jones to exit the race. Yet Jones remains on the ballot, creating a thorny dilemma for Democratic leadership.For political observers, this debate moment crystallized a broader challenge facing candidates in today's hyperpartisan environment: how to balance party loyalty against moral imperatives. Spanberger's attempt to thread this needle – condemning the words while stopping short of withdrawing support – may prove to be a costly political miscalculation in a race where every misstep counts.