A stunning moment unfolded on “The View” Thursday when co-host Joy Behar incorrectly assumed a political candidate who fantasized about violence against a rival and their children was a Republican, only to be corrected live on air by her fellow panelists.
The controversy centers on resurfaced text messages from 2022 involving Jay Jones, a Democrat currently running for attorney general of Virginia.
The messages show Jones writing to a colleague that he would give former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert “two bullets to the head” and suggesting Gilbert’s wife should hold their deceased children in her arms.
During Thursday’s broadcast, Behar claimed that Republicans were refusing to denounce Jones for his disturbing comments.
Her assertion was quickly challenged by the show’s other hosts, who set the record straight about Jones’ party affiliation.
“But only Democrats denounced [Jones]. No Republicans,” Behar stated confidently during the segment.
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin immediately corrected her colleague.
“He’s a Democrat,” Griffin replied, prompting an awkward moment on the daytime talk show.
Even after being corrected, Behar attempted to maintain her position by insisting that only Democrats had condemned Jones’ statement. However, the political reality tells a more complicated story about partisan responses to the controversy.
The text messages in question date back to 2022, but their emergence during Jones’ current campaign for Virginia attorney general has created a significant political firestorm.
The violent nature of the rhetoric, particularly the references to deceased children, has shocked political observers across the spectrum.
Despite Behar’s claims, many Democrats have shown reluctance to fully denounce Jones or demand he exit the race.
The responses from prominent Democratic figures have ranged from tepid condemnations to outright continued support, the Daily Caller explained.
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Resist the Mainstream previously reported that Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger addressed the issue during a debate, stating she denounced Jones’ statements. However, when pressed with a direct yes-or-no question about whether she would continue to endorse Jones, Spanberger declined to provide a clear answer.
Spanberger’s evasiveness on the endorsement question has drawn criticism from those who believe Democratic leaders should take a firmer stance against violent political rhetoric.
Her refusal to give a straightforward response suggests the political calculations involved in addressing Jones’ candidacy.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told CNN’s Manu Raju that he would continue supporting Jones, citing their 25-year relationship.
The Caller noted that Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) took a middle-ground approach, condemning the statement while stopping short of calling for Jones to withdraw from the attorney general race.
Perhaps most notably, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to say whether Jones should drop out of the race during an appearance on CNN’s “Inside Politics.”
Pelosi went further, stating that Jones is “a better person to be attorney general,” effectively endorsing his continued candidacy despite the controversy.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares appeared on “America’s Newsroom” and stated that Jones has only apologized because he was caught making the violent statements.
Miyares argued that an attorney general must serve as the top prosecutor for all Virginia residents, regardless of their political ideology.
He stated that Jones has proven himself unworthy of that responsibility through his disturbing rhetoric.
