Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner’s campaign contributed $25,000 to the attorney general campaign of Jay Jones, who is now facing bipartisan backlash following reports of violent remarks he allegedly made about a Republican lawmaker.
According to campaign finance disclosures, the donation was made in August through Warner’s campaign committee, Mark Warner for U.S. Senate.
In addition, a joint fundraising page for Warner and Jones remains active on the Democratic Party’s fundraising platform, ActBlue.
The controversy surrounding Jones intensified after reports surfaced revealing that he compared former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a Republican, to Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot.
In the same comments, Jones allegedly said that if given two bullets, he would “use both” to shoot Gilbert in the head.
He also reportedly stated that Gilbert and his wife should have to watch their “fascist” children die.
🚨 NEW AD: Jay Jones dreamed of murdering two young kids and their dad over politics—and Abigail Spanberger wants him to be attorney general. pic.twitter.com/RoipSKn436
— Winsome Earle-Sears (@winwithwinsome) October 5, 2025
This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year
Jones later apologized for the comments but has refused to drop out of the race for attorney general.
Sen. Warner called the remarks “appalling” and “inconsistent with the person I’ve known,” according to Virginia Mercury.
🚨WATCH — VA Sen. Mark Warner REFUSES to condemn political violence after his Democratic colleague Jay Jones’ CHILLING remarks about Todd Gilbert.
This silence from Democratic leadership is UNACCEPTABLE.@MarkWarner @jonesjay pic.twitter.com/kjtDfaFFoB
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 6, 2025
However, Warner has not yet commented on whether he plans to ask for the return of his campaign donation or if he believes Jones should withdraw from the race.
Even CNN is shocked that Democrat Senator Mark Warner isn’t calling for Jay Jones to drop out:
“You have Mark Warner, Abigail Spanberger… But they haven’t called on him to drop out!” pic.twitter.com/bjjDsKTTZ9
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) October 6, 2025
On Monday, a second report surfaced accusing Jones of privately suggesting that “if more police officers were killed, they would shoot fewer people.”
🚨 Jay Jones’ really bad week just got even worse.
In addition to Jones being exposed for wanting to shoot a Republican leader in the head and watch his kids die, it’s now alleged that he wanted cops to be murdered in order to change how they police.
“Maybe if a few [cops]… pic.twitter.com/fgrks5xOu6
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 6, 2025
MORE NEWS: Kentucky Suing Roblox Over Charlie Kirk ‘Assassination Simulators’ and Child Safety [WATCH]
Jones has denied making that statement.
Republicans across the country, including President Donald Trump, have urged Jones to withdraw from the race, calling his comments “violent” and “unacceptable.”
Despite the growing backlash, no major Democratic officials have rescinded their endorsements.
Warner, who serves as vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has long positioned himself as a critic of political violence.
MORE NEWS: Joy Behar Goes Full Tinfoil Hat with Claims About Donald Trump and the National Guard [WATCH]
He has repeatedly condemned acts of extremism, including the January 6 Capitol riot and the 2017 Charlottesville protests.
In a statement issued last month with fellow Virginia Democrats Sen. Tim Kaine and Rep. Eugene Vindman, Warner said, “The rise in political violence—which has inflicted tragedy upon the families of Republican activist Charlie Kirk and Minnesota’s House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband Mark, and many other Americans on both sides of the aisle—is disturbing and unacceptable. We are unified in our condemnation of these attacks. It is critical to the safety of all Americans and the health of our democracy that we are able to approach our political differences with respect and without resorting to violence.”
While Warner criticized Jones’s comments, he has stopped short of calling for Jones to step aside.
Kaine has stated that Jones should remain in the race and “let voters decide.”
Democrat Virginia Senator Tim Kaine STILL backs Jay Jones, who fantasized about killing a Republican official and his children, and also supports killing cops.
KAINE: “I’m still supporting Jay Jones.” pic.twitter.com/3EXIFaGDXa
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 7, 2025
Vindman also reaffirmed his support for Jones over the weekend in a post on X.
Vindman is now re-endorsing Jay Jones after he called for the children of Republicans to be killed
Are you paying attention yet? https://t.co/ELqRHZ27dI
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) October 6, 2025
MORE NEWS: Kristi Noem Obliterates Country Star Zach Bryan Over His Anti-ICE Song, Singer Responds [WATCH]
Democrat Eugene Vindman praising Jay Jones: “Vote for my friend Jay Jones, who I trust to be the attorney general for Virginia. We need him!”
Jones wrote disgusting texts wishing violent death on a Republican lawmaker and his children@YVindman just re-endorsed him pic.twitter.com/lFVbIpPHqG
— NRCC (@NRCC) October 6, 2025
Republican officials have accused Warner and other Democrats of hypocrisy for maintaining their support.
“Mark Warner has endorsed, donated to, and fundraised with Jay Jones, but won’t say whether he still supports him to be Virginia’s Attorney General after Jones called for the murder of a political opponent and his children,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell in a statement.
“As Americans continue to grapple with Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the answer should be easy. Jay Jones is not fit for office and Mark Warner should rescind his support and call for him to step aside immediately.”
The controversy adds to a growing list of challenges for Democrats in the state, as Republicans seek to capitalize on the fallout from the remarks in the final weeks before the election.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.
Horse feathers senator, you knew exactly what kind of a racist, thug piece of excrem,\ent Jones was and is, that’s why you support him.