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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and top Democrats refused to answer whether they believe embattled Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones should drop out over violent text messages he sent, fantasizing about murdering a Republican opponent.
The Virginia attorney general race, and gubernatorial race along with it, have been rocked by recent revelations that Jones, a former Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, has made several violent remarks, including saying he wanted to shoot then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
Though some Democrats, including Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, have condemned Jones’ messages, Sanders, perhaps the top progressive voice in America, ignored Fox News Digital’s question about the texts and simply walked away.
Another prominent progressive, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., also ignored Fox News Digital’s questions about Jones, turning her back on the reporter and stepping into an elevator.
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Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., provided some answers, saying, “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t recall exactly what he said, but at least the reflections I got, I thought it was horrible, I really do.”
“I don’t know the dynamics of the race, as I’m focused right now on the New Jersey governor’s race. So, I can’t say that I’ve done my due diligence to really understand, but what I will say is what I saw was absolutely horrible,” Kim added.
Kim also said, “I hope that in a time right now where there’s so much concern about political violence. We can say that, yes, we need to make sure we’re holding ourselves up to a high standard, especially those in elected office.”
Asked if he could say whether Jones should drop out of the race after those violent texts, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., answered, “I can’t. I’ve got to go.”
DEMOCRATS STAND BY VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL WHO FANTASIZED ABOUT KILLING GOP LAWMAKER
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also had a similar response, saying, “No, I’m getting a briefing right now,” while a staffer said, “You’re more than welcome to reach out to her office though.”
In text messages with another lawmaker, Jones wrote, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
Jones wrote in a subsequent text, “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”
In another text exchange with a colleague, Jones said he hoped Gilbert’s children would die. He doubled down in a series of messages, saying that such grief might be “a good thing” if it advanced his politics.
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Though the text revelations have shocked the public and turned the Virginia elections on their head, many Democrats questioned by Fox News Digital have refused to address the scandal or say whether they believe Jones should be disqualified from the race.
Asked whether Jones should quit his race, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., answered, “I haven’t given it a thought.”
Pressed whether he had read the text messages, which have caused massive political fallout in an already tight Virginia election, Whitehouse said, “I have not.”
Prominent Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., simply responded, “I don’t have time at the moment,” and continued to walk away.
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Speaking with Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the Democratic senators’ silence “staggering, particularly with the spate of political violence we have seen.”
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“In my view, the notion that someone advocating for the murder of children because he disagrees politically with their father is manifestly unsuitable for public office, especially the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia, and I wish there were even one Democrat with the courage to say that publicly,” said Cruz.
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