Winsome Earle-Sears releases ad linking Abigail Spanberger to Jay Jones after violent texts resurface

Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears unveiled a new campaign ad Sunday linking her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, to attorney general hopeful Jay Jones, whose recently resurfaced text messages have drawn widespread backlash.

The minute-long ad features clips from news reports detailing disturbing messages Jones sent in 2022 to a colleague. The spot also shows photos of Spanberger and Jones together and includes audio of Spanberger saying, "It's been great to be out on the campaign trail with Jay Jones."

"Jay Jones dreamed of murdering two young kids and their dad over politics - and Abigail Spanberger wants him to be attorney general," Earle-Sears wrote in an X post accompanying the video.

The ad concludes with an on-screen message: "Reject the insanity. Vote Republican."

'CONSUMED WITH HATE': WINSOME SEARS, JASON MIYARES UNLOAD ON DEMOCRAT JAY JONES OVER VIOLENT TEXTS

Texts obtained by Fox News Digital on Friday showed an August 2022 conversation involving Jones - then a recently departed delegate from Norfolk - referencing former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, writing, "Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head." 

In another message, Jones speculated whether Gilbert and his wife Jennifer were "breeding little fascists."

YOUNGKIN SAYS DEMOCRAT AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES MUST 'STEP AWAY IN DISGRACE' OVER TEXTS ABOUT FORMER GOP LEADER

President Donald Trump weighed in on Sunday, calling Jones a "radical left lunatic" and urging him to drop out of the race. The president described Spanberger as "weak and ineffective" and praised Jones' opponent, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.

"Abigail Spanberger, who is running for Governor, is weak and ineffective, and refuses to acknowledge what this Lunatic has done," Trump posted to Truth Social. "Even Democrats are saying it is 'RESIGNATION FROM CAMPAIGN' TERRITORY. Democrat Jay Jones should drop out of the Race, IMMEDIATELY, and the People of Virginia must continue to have a GREAT Attorney General in Jason Miyares who, by the way, has my Complete and Total Endorsement - JASON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!"

VIRGINIA AG CANDIDATE ONCE REFERENCED PUTTING 'TWO BULLETS TO THE HEAD' OF GOP LEADER, TEXTS SHOW

Spanberger has condemned Jones' messages but stopped short of calling on him to withdraw from the race.

In a statement released to the media, Jones said, "I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family."

"Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry. I have reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize directly to him, his wife Jennifer, and their children. I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.

"Virginians deserve honest leaders who admit when they are wrong and own up to their mistakes. This was a grave mistake, and I will work every day to prove to the people of Virginia that I will fight for them as Attorney General," he added. 

Earle-Sears, Spanberger and Jones did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed to this report.