Jay Jones murder texts latest case of Democrats circling the scandal wagons

Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones still has the support of some top Democrats, while others have not called for him to drop out after messages showed him envisioning the murder of a former Republican leader.

At the same time, history shows most Republican scandals are met with intraparty calls to drop out, abandonment of support or other more explicit actions.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, defended Jones last week, telling reporters there was a double standard in pressing Democrat Abigail Spanberger to finally call for Jones’ ouster, and Republicans’ reaction to President Donald Trump envisioning whether Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney would continue to be a neoconservative if she was put in a warzone with guns pointed at her.

Virginia Senate President L. Louise Lucas, D-Norfolk, similarly declined to call for Jones to drop out and instead has publicly boosted his candidacy.

RESURFACED SOCIAL MEDIA POST COMES BACK TO HAUNT DISGRACED DEM AG NOMINEE: 'DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT'

Spanberger has condemned Jones’ comments, but has offered responses to calls for her to push him out that characterize the choice as up to the voters, not her.

Pressed by reporters Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggested Jones’ apologies were sufficient for him to retain Democratic support.

The most prominent Democrat to have the party circle its wagons around them was former President Bill Clinton, who, while embroiled in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, saw his party largely oppose efforts to impeach or remove him.

First lady Hillary Clinton famously expressed the view that there was a "vast right-wing conspiracy" against her husband, while congressional Democrats seeking to avoid an impeachment instead argued a formal censure would be a "historic" statement.

In 1998, House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., took to the floor to accuse Republicans of "a misuse of their constitutional responsibility" and "a political vendetta."

In 2006, eight-term New Orleans congressman Rep. William Jefferson was investigated by the FBI for allegedly using his official position to solicit hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes from U.S. companies interested in doing business in Africa, according to a bureau release.

Nearly $100,000 was famously found hidden inside a Pillsbury pie crust box in his freezer, and the FBI found at least 11 "distinct" bribery schemes amid their probe.

JAY JONES’ ‘TWO BULLETS’ SCANDAL OVER VIOLENT TEXTS EXPECTED TO DOMINATE VIRGINIA AG DEBATE

As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., opposed efforts to remove Jefferson from the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

He said Jefferson deserves to be presumed innocent and criticized the lack of precedent being purportedly weaponized against a Black man.

One top Democrat broke ranks: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told Jefferson that in the interest of the House Democratic Caucus’ "high ethical standard," she requested his "immediate resignation" from Ways & Means.

Eventually, Democrats voted 99-58 within their ranks to see Jefferson removed, and he was later booted from the panel by a full-House voice vote.

Jefferson’s scandal was so severe, Republican upstart Joseph Cao defeated him in Democratic-supermajority New Orleans in a hurricane-delayed 2008 election by 50-47%.

When a racist group-chat of young Republicans from several states was leaked and reported in the press, Democrats who had declined to call for Jones’ ouster were quick to condemn the situation – but were also joined by Republicans.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who has not called for Jones to withdraw, said Wednesday that "too many Republican leaders seem willing to call out violent rhetoric only when it comes from the other side. But these same Republicans never seem willing to denounce it when it comes from their own ranks, and that’s dangerous."

LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES' TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER

However, several prominent Republicans did condemn the chats, including multiple New York lawmakers like Reps. Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik. Several of the chats allegedly were written by young Republicans from that state.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott also quickly condemned the chat after state Sen. Samuel Douglass of Orleans was entangled in the story:

"Those involved should resign from their roles immediately and leave the Republican Party," Scott said.

The last time Virginia was at the center of a scandal like this, then-Sen. George Allen, R-Va., was a popular incumbent and former governor — and the son and namesake of the Washington Redskins’ legendary coach.

In 2006, Allen was at a rally near Breaks Interstate Park on the Kentucky line when he noticed a young activist of South Asian descent filming him. Allen pointed to him and referred to him by a French-colonial slang referencing monkeys.

"Folks we're going to run this campaign on positive, constructive ideas, and it’s important that we motivate and inspire people for something," Allen said, before turning to the man.

"This fella here over here with the yellow shirt, [slur] or whatever his name is – he’s with my opponent," Allen said, joking it would be challenger Jim Webb’s only opportunity to see people in rural Virginia secondhand.

JOE SCARBOROUGH TELLS DEM CANDIDATE JAY JONES TO LEAVE RACE OVER VIOLENT COMMENTS AGAINST GOP LAWMAKER

While the left latched onto the incident, some Republicans, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona expressed sympathy for the gaffe, criticism was more vocal even if calls to drop out were not as pronounced.

Then-Iowa GOP leader Mike Mehaffey publicly said Allen needed to "make it clear" that he made a mistake and that he should never have said it.

Allen’s campaign imploded, and a race that was supposed to be a wide-margin win for the GOP ended in a one-point loss to Webb – who in turn cited his Navy secretaryship in the Reagan administration as a reach across the aisle to disaffected Allen fans.

In other Republican cases, however, intraparty comeuppance was more pronounced.

Then-Sen. Larry Craig, R-Wyo., was convicted of lewd conduct after a police officer accused him of potentially soliciting sex in a Minnesota airport bathroom during a June 2009 sting operation.

By late September, Craig had resigned from Congress amid a barrage of intraparty backlash.

"I think he should resign," McCain said at the time, as then-Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., also called for his ouster.

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House Republican leaders also criticized Craig, with Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., saying his conduct was "inappropriate for a U.S. Senator." Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee also issued condemnations, while the Bush White House was also reportedly disappointed.

Former Rep. Mark Foley’s career also imploded in similar fashion in 2006 after the Florida Republican was found to have sent sexually inappropriate messages to Capitol Hill pages.

While outlets like the UK Guardian at the time reported that some Republicans tried to "cover up" the scandal before it broke, the White House swiftly condemned Foley when the texts came to light.

"The White House and the president were just as shocked as everyone else," Bush adviser Dan Bartlett told CNN, suggesting there should or would be a criminal investigation to come.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., took to the "Rush Limbaugh Show" to condemn talk that he or other top GOP leaders had not acted swift enough or knew previously of Foley’s texts.

Hastert and House Republican leaders John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., later called Foley’s texts "unacceptable and abhorrent."

Meanwhile, "quit or be expelled" was the message from the GOP to Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio in 2006 after he was implicated in the Jack Abramoff scandal.

Abramoff, a powerful Republican lobbyist, had been accused of bribing lawmakers with trips and luxury gifts.

The late Tony Snow – a former Fox News anchor and later Bush White House press secretary – called for Ney’s resignation and called the allegations "not a reflection of the Republican Party," according to The Seattle Times at the time.

Hastert and multiple other Republicans quickly called for Ney to resign and offered similar advice to other lawmakers caught up in Abramoff’s web.

Alexander Vindman’s congressman brother leads off Dems boosting Jay Jones after texts: ‘Send a message’

Democratic Virginia Rep. Yevgeny "Eugene" Vindman, twin brother of Trump impeachment figure Alexander Vindman, blasted out to his Twitter followers a call to vote for Democrats Jay Jones and Abigail Spanberger days after texts showed the former referenced killing Republicans.

Meanwhile, a House of Delegates candidate in conservative southside Virginia doubles and triples down on support of Jones amid social media pushback.

As Jones’ controversy and campaign unraveled over the weekend, Vindman, D-Va., took to X to issue comments standing behind the entire Democratic ticket.

"We’re just a month out from Election Day in Virginia. It’s time for our Commonwealth to send a message that we’re tired of Republican chaos," Vindman wrote Sunday, two days after texts came to light showing Jones envisioning the murder of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.

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Virginia "make a plan to vote — early if you can," he said, adding "for" and the three X handles for gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Ghazala Hashmi and Jones.

"Your voice couldn’t be more important this year," concluded Rep. Eugene Vindman, who coincidentally holds Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger's former seat. 

The post got ratioed by critics, including one telling Vindman, "Nobody is voting for Jay ‘Two Bullet’ Jones."

"Get lost," the man wrote.

JAY JONES SAID IF MORE POLICE WERE KILLED IT WOULD REDUCE SHOOTINGS OF CIVILIANS, ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA LAWMAKER

Another respondent posted a meme image of the Harrison family from "Pawn Stars" speaking with a customer and the caption "We need to tone down the political violence rhetoric" – "Virginia Democrats: Best I can do is murder your children."

A third posted the ubiquitous "Marked Safe From… Today" flag meme, with the caption "Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones."

"Virginia — not for lovers anymore," another wrote, referring to the Old Dominion’s famous 50-year tourism slogan.

Rep. Eugene Vindman's brother Alexander Vindman was a key figure in then-Rep. Adam Schiff's impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Schiff defended then-witness Alexander Vindman in congressional hearings after Trump and other Republicans repeatedly condemned the former Ukraine-focused National Security Council staffer.

In Washington, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine also defended his support for Jones, saying he's known the former Norfolk state delegate for 25 years.

"I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff," Kaine said.

At the other end of Virginia, a Democrat running for a seat in Pittsylvania County and vicinity doubled and tripled down on her endorsement of Jones as the controversy continued.

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Candidate Melody Cartwright, a former graphic designer at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, lambasted the delegate whom Jones had incidentally texted the invective to and vociferously defended the attorney generalship nominee.

Jay Jones "will defend Virginia's rights, healthcare, and education. Stay the course," Cartwright wrote on X, inscribing Jones’ handle.

"I stand with (Jay Jones) period. End of statement," Cartwright wrote in a second tweet, both of which were lambasted by critics.

"Then you stand for a man who fantasizes about the murder of his political opponent's children and wants to kill them, the parents, and piss on their graves," replied former Energy Department staffer Matt van Swol.

Another critic said Cartwright’s comment wasn’t just a show of support but "an endorsement of an (expletive) death-obsessed lunatic."

"No one is surprised. By you, by him, or by your entire party. It’s who you are," wrote conservative figure Western Lensman.

Another reply included a one-second clip of conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart from his CPAC 2012 intro video, saying "War," which had been one of the last appearances by the major right-wing figure before his death just days later. Breitbart's stern-faced delivery of the singular word grew into a memorialization on the right in the time since; depicting the view that the left holds visceral hatred for the right.

Virginia Del. Eric Phillips, R-Martinsville, who defeated Cartwright last cycle and faces her again, told Fox News Digital it’s "not the Virginia way" to even entertain chatter in terms of what Jones referenced in his texts.

"It's disturbing and disgraceful for my opponent to defend Jay Jones' vile comments," Phillips said of Cartwright.

"Standing with someone who talks about shooting colleagues in the head, harming their children, and desecrating graves is indefensible," Phillips added.

"Anyone who excuses or embraces that kind of hate has no business asking to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates."

In a separate tweet, Cartwright also bashed Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chester, who originally had shared Jones’ texts with the National Review and Fox News Digital.

How James Comey’s indictment could go south for the DOJ

As former FBI Director James Comey stares down a two-count federal indictment alleging he made a false statement to Congress and obstructed justice, the Department of Justice faces an uphill climb in securing a conviction. 

Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan of the Eastern District of Virginia is under pressure to move the prosecution forward against Comey’s formidable defense team, which has multiple ways to challenge the charges.

Halligan, a Trump ally and former insurance lawyer with no prosecutorial experience, is up against the possibility that Comey's lawyers will file requests to toss the case out. If Comey is unsuccessful and the case goes to trial, Halligan will then face a new hurdle: persuading a jury. Critics say President Donald Trump, Halligan and any others involved in the case could also see external repercussions for rushing to bring what they view as a flimsy, retributive indictment.

In terms of pre-trial efforts, several lawyers have speculated that Comey will argue to the court that his two charges should be dismissed on numerous grounds.

COMEY INDICTMENT SPARKS FIERCE POLITICAL REACTIONS NATIONWIDE

Former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade of Michigan told Fox News Digital one possibility is that Comey could argue the prosecution was selective.

"To prevail on a selective prosecution claim, the defendant must show not only that the prosecution was motivated by an improper purpose, but also that other similarly situated individuals were treated differently," McQuade said.

She said it would be "remarkably easy to demonstrate the first factor," pointing to Trump’s extraordinary comments on social media openly saying he wanted Comey charged out of vengeance. Comey, one of Trump’s top political nemeses, led the FBI when it opened a controversial investigation into Trump over his 2016 campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia.

McQuade said, however, that the second factor would be difficult to prove — that others have not been prosecuted for false statements to Congress — since that "essentially requires a defendant to prove a negative."

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Jim Trusty, a former DOJ prosecutor who once worked on Trump’s defense team, told Fox News the indictment is still in an early stage, the specific allegations remain unclear and that a "wait and see" approach was best. Trusty said, though, that critics who claim Trump is weaponizing the DOJ against his enemies are misguided.

"Lawfare was certainly used as a weapon to go after Trump, but it also protected people, and so you can also look at this as four years of love from the Biden administration kept Comey out of the crosshairs," Trusty said.

Trusty said Comey’s indictment could be perceived as a "tit for tat," or it could simply be "overdue."

McQuade said that at this early stage, she viewed Comey's acquittal as the "more likely" way the DOJ would fail, pointing to what she said was "convoluted" language in the indictment.

She said it seemed to rely on congressional testimony Comey gave in 2020, when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, referenced a question asked by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in 2017 about whether Comey authorized a leak to the media. Cruz also slightly misquoted Grassley, she said.

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"Because the prosecution must show that Comey knowingly and willfully made a false statement, that messy record may be a fatal flaw," McQuade said.

Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick of the Western District of Virginia told Fox News Digital that if the court permits Comey to access any records related to the DOJ’s "internal deliberations" about the case, those details could undermine the prosecution and bolster a defense that the case was tainted by political motivations.

"The biggest potential fallout for DOJ will be if the judge permits the Comey legal team to get under the hood of the internal deliberations of DOJ to prosecute or not prosecute Comey," Fishwick told Fox News Digital. "The Comey team wants to argue this prosecution is just about politics and revenge, but they will need as much evidence as possible to buttress this claim as DOJ will counter the grand jury indicted Comey, not DOJ."

Trump’s appointment of Halligan as U.S. attorney was a last-minute move, as the five-year statute of limitations on Comey’s testimony expired on Sept. 30. Trump ousted her predecessor, Erik Siebert, a 15-year veteran of the Virginia office, and brought in Halligan, a willing participant in Trump’s mission to take down his political rivals.

While Trump has suggested other indictments are coming down the pike, critics have zeroed in on Comey's case, calling it weak enough that Trump also risks impeachment over it and that Halligan and any other prosecutors who decide to join the case risk career penalties. No DOJ prosecutors have joined Halligan on the case at this stage.

Former DOJ official Harry Litman, host of "Talking Feds" and vocal Trump critic, said "some accountability" would come if Democrats take the House next year, advocating they impeach Trump for what he says is an abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

"If we can just get through the midterms and give the House of Representatives the power to subpoena all of these jokers on Capitol Hill, grill them and then impeach Trump again … all of the evidence of the crime that Donald Trump just committed will be laid out for public inspection," Litman said.

He also cited a report that career prosecutors advised Halligan against charging Comey, suggesting she faces the "possibility of serious professional sanctions" because of it.

How James Comey’s indictment could go south for the DOJ

As former FBI Director James Comey stares down a two-count federal indictment alleging he made a false statement to Congress and obstructed justice, the Department of Justice faces an uphill climb in securing a conviction. 

Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan of the Eastern District of Virginia is under pressure to move the prosecution forward against Comey’s formidable defense team, which has multiple ways to challenge the charges.

Halligan, a Trump ally and former insurance lawyer with no prosecutorial experience, is up against the possibility that Comey's lawyers will file requests to toss the case out. If Comey is unsuccessful and the case goes to trial, Halligan will then face a new hurdle: persuading a jury. Critics say President Donald Trump, Halligan and any others involved in the case could also see external repercussions for rushing to bring what they view as a flimsy, retributive indictment.

In terms of pre-trial efforts, several lawyers have speculated that Comey will argue to the court that his two charges should be dismissed on numerous grounds.

COMEY INDICTMENT SPARKS FIERCE POLITICAL REACTIONS NATIONWIDE

Former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade of Michigan told Fox News Digital one possibility is that Comey could argue the prosecution was selective.

"To prevail on a selective prosecution claim, the defendant must show not only that the prosecution was motivated by an improper purpose, but also that other similarly situated individuals were treated differently," McQuade said.

She said it would be "remarkably easy to demonstrate the first factor," pointing to Trump’s extraordinary comments on social media openly saying he wanted Comey charged out of vengeance. Comey, one of Trump’s top political nemeses, led the FBI when it opened a controversial investigation into Trump over his 2016 campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia.

McQuade said, however, that the second factor would be difficult to prove — that others have not been prosecuted for false statements to Congress — since that "essentially requires a defendant to prove a negative."

COMEY DENIES CHARGES, DECLARES 'I AM NOT AFRAID'

Jim Trusty, a former DOJ prosecutor who once worked on Trump’s defense team, told Fox News the indictment is still in an early stage, the specific allegations remain unclear and that a "wait and see" approach was best. Trusty said, though, that critics who claim Trump is weaponizing the DOJ against his enemies are misguided.

"Lawfare was certainly used as a weapon to go after Trump, but it also protected people, and so you can also look at this as four years of love from the Biden administration kept Comey out of the crosshairs," Trusty said.

Trusty said Comey’s indictment could be perceived as a "tit for tat," or it could simply be "overdue."

McQuade said that at this early stage, she viewed Comey's acquittal as the "more likely" way the DOJ would fail, pointing to what she said was "convoluted" language in the indictment.

She said it seemed to rely on congressional testimony Comey gave in 2020, when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, referenced a question asked by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in 2017 about whether Comey authorized a leak to the media. Cruz also slightly misquoted Grassley, she said.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO INDICT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESS

"Because the prosecution must show that Comey knowingly and willfully made a false statement, that messy record may be a fatal flaw," McQuade said.

Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick of the Western District of Virginia told Fox News Digital that if the court permits Comey to access any records related to the DOJ’s "internal deliberations" about the case, those details could undermine the prosecution and bolster a defense that the case was tainted by political motivations.

"The biggest potential fallout for DOJ will be if the judge permits the Comey legal team to get under the hood of the internal deliberations of DOJ to prosecute or not prosecute Comey," Fishwick told Fox News Digital. "The Comey team wants to argue this prosecution is just about politics and revenge, but they will need as much evidence as possible to buttress this claim as DOJ will counter the grand jury indicted Comey, not DOJ."

Trump’s appointment of Halligan as U.S. attorney was a last-minute move, as the five-year statute of limitations on Comey’s testimony expired on Sept. 30. Trump ousted her predecessor, Erik Siebert, a 15-year veteran of the Virginia office, and brought in Halligan, a willing participant in Trump’s mission to take down his political rivals.

While Trump has suggested other indictments are coming down the pike, critics have zeroed in on Comey's case, calling it weak enough that Trump also risks impeachment over it and that Halligan and any other prosecutors who decide to join the case risk career penalties. No DOJ prosecutors have joined Halligan on the case at this stage.

Former DOJ official Harry Litman, host of "Talking Feds" and vocal Trump critic, said "some accountability" would come if Democrats take the House next year, advocating they impeach Trump for what he says is an abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

"If we can just get through the midterms and give the House of Representatives the power to subpoena all of these jokers on Capitol Hill, grill them and then impeach Trump again … all of the evidence of the crime that Donald Trump just committed will be laid out for public inspection," Litman said.

He also cited a report that career prosecutors advised Halligan against charging Comey, suggesting she faces the "possibility of serious professional sanctions" because of it.

Democrat congressman dragged for ‘weird’ TikTok ‘aura farming’ trend video

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., got in on TikTok’s "aura farming" trend, posting a clip of himself dancing solo in the congressional subway, captioned "omw to hold this administration accountable."

In the short clip, Subramanyam appears on the House subway wearing sunglasses, striking poses and waving his arms before locking in on the camera.

Subramanyam's "aura farming" appears to have backfired, with some commenters calling it out as tone-deaf, hypocritical and "cringe."

Left-leaning viewers frustrated with perceived inaction from Democrats under President Donald Trump took aim at the VA-10 congressman in the comment section. One of the top-liked comments asked flatly, "By doing nothing…?" Another read, "Representatives have got to stop doing this. Actually do something."

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Many commenters linked the post to Subramanyam’s past voting record, including his controversial decision against his party just weeks ago not to move forward with a House impeachment resolution against Trump.

On June 24, 2025, Subramanyam voted to table (i.e., block) a resolution to impeach President Trump over "high crimes and misdemeanors." The resolution was introduced by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, but was halted by a wide House majority.

Several comments mocked the tone and delivery of the video. One read, "-1000 aura," while another said, "Our taxpayer money hard at work…" Another commenter wrote, "So what exactly are you on your way to do? Because so far democrats have not really done anything at all."

A top comment simply read, "This feels weird idk."

FAR-LEFT LAWMAKER BREAKS SILENCE AFTER UNEARTHED SOCIAL MEDIA POST IGNITES FIRESTORM

One lengthy reply said, "Not trying to be disrespectful. But? Less of this sh--. More fire on the floor please. I get wanting to do outreach. But this? Isn’t the action an average American needs from their representatives right now. We’re approaching no taxation without representation territory here. Do better." 

Another suggested, "Introduce a new amendment for every one performative TikTok a Congress person posts they have to cosign 3 bills that work to limit the power of money in politics."
 

Subramanyam, a former tech advisor in the Obama White House and the first South Asian elected to Virginia’s General Assembly, has gained a reputation as a more moderate Democrat. He won Virginia’s 10th District in 2024 and often plays up his immigrant roots in political messaging.

The "aura farming" trend, popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, refers to pulling off effortless, cool gestures usually while standing still. It took off after a now-viral video of 11-year-old Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha danced stone-faced and confident while wearing sunglasses aboard a racing boat.

Most "aura farming" clips on TikTok are soundtracked to "Young Black & Rich" by Melly Mike, which includes the lyric "I ain't even gon' get mad, I'm young, black and rich."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Subramanyam’s office and TikTok for comment.

Glenn Youngkin ‘personally invites’ new Trump admin to settle in Virginia over Maryland and DC

EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will release a video ad Tuesday inviting the countless new workers and officials in the second Trump administration to settle in his state, versus the District of Columbia and neighboring Maryland.

Youngkin, who made education policy a pillar of his 2021 campaign against ex-Gov. Terence McAuliffe amid several school controversies in Northern Virginia, said the commonwealth has better schools than its neighbors.

Youngkin cited a CNBC study ranking Virginia first in the U.S. in education, and first in the nation overall for business – displacing its neighbor in 2023, first-place North Carolina.

"To the new members of President Trump's administration moving to the area, I want to personally invite you to make Virginia your home," Youngkin said.

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"Virginia is right across the Potomac. We offer a great quality of life, safe communities, award-winning schools where parents matter, and lower taxes than D.C. or Maryland."

Maryland was listed 31st in best-for-business, and the District of Columbia was unranked, according to the study.

The ad flashed through several scenes in the Old Dominion, from the capital, Richmond, to the King Street Trolley slinking through Old Town Alexandria. 

"It's why so many people choose Virginia as the best place to live, work and raise a family," Youngkin said.

Youngkin has called education the "bedrock of attaining the American dream," and the CNBC study credited both Youngkin and the Democratic state legislative majority for compromising on $2.5 billion in new K-12 funding and 3% raises for teachers.

When asked about Virginia being pitched as a new home for the new administration, Trump transition team spokesman Brian Hughes said Youngkin's performance speaks for itself as its own advertisement.

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"With the amazing job Governor Youngkin has done bringing common sense, low taxes, and high quality of life to his state, it's no wonder that he has a compelling case to make to people who are exploring next steps in the region." Hughes said.

Youngkin was swept into office in 2021 after a major political upset of McAuliffe – as Republicans had been out of power in Richmond for about a decade.

The last Republican governor, Bob McDonnell, reappeared on the political scene during President-elect Donald Trump's various legal trials, as he, too, had been subject to prosecution by now-special counsel Jack Smith.

In McDonnell's case, the once-rumored 2012 running-mate candidate's political future imploded during his own corruption litigation, but the Supreme Court later unanimously threw out Smith's conviction. Now-Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, ultimately chose then-Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. to run with him that cycle.

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With Virginia being the rare state that does not allow its governor to run for consecutive terms, Youngkin's deputy, Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, has launched a 2025 gubernatorial campaign she said seeks to build on the Youngkin-Sears record.

The prominent Democrat in the upcoming contest thus far is Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who gave up her seat in launching her bid. Spanberger will be replaced in Congress by Rep-elect Yevgeny "Eugene" Vindman, D-Va., – the twin brother of Trump impeachment witness Col. Alexander Vindman.

‘MAGA’ dress designer forced to remove Trump signs from business, residence when ‘Karen’ called the police

A dress designer and shop owner in Occoquan, Virginia, is at a loss following a bizarre encounter with a local woman who called the police on his boutique for demonstrating his First Amendment rights by hanging Trump signs out front.

Andre Soriano, an atelier dress designer who is well-known for curating the "Make America Great Again" gown singer-songwriter Joy Villa wore to the 2017 Grammy Awards, received legal notice that he must remove signs in support of former President Trump from his business.

"I actually started a flag war here in Occoquan, Virginia," Soriano told Fox News Digital during a video interview.

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Soriano said though the first few moments of the encounter were pleasant, almost immediately, he was met with irrationality and backlash about the patriotic decor perched at the front of the store.

"The reason I put my Trump dress outside is, so I don't have to encounter [this]," Soriano said.

Audra Johnson, a political activist and friend of Soriano, recorded the run in and posted it to social media after he texted her for help with the scene.

"I have a video of her hiding in a bush," Johnson told Fox News Digital. "I don’t know what she was doing."

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The duo said the woman was hysterically crying in the street and that she did call the police. A lone officer removed the woman from the store’s entrance and Johnson said she was taken to a local restaurant to "calm her down".

"As an American citizen, as a First Amendment in our great nation, you can express yourself by putting your signs in your home and expressing who you are as an individual, whether it’s religion, whether it’s politics or anything that you feel, without harming anyone," Soriano said. "That's just the freedom of artistic expression and being free in America, and nowadays, you can't even express that."

Soriano and Johnson live in the residences above the store. After being cited by the city to remove the Trump-supporting signs from the business, they suspended them from their homes, despite having been hung for years prior to the incident.

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However, they were cited a second time to remove some, but not all, the signs.

"We’re just trying our hardest to not get fines we can’t pay," Johnson said.

"We follow rules," Soriano said. "We don’t disrespect anyone."

The business owner is appalled by the ordinance as he believes America is the "land of the free, not the land of what people think."

"I'm an American designer," Soriano said. "I am free to express and create whatever I want."

Soriano, originally from the Philippines, said his mother immigrated the family to America when he was a teenager to live the American Dream.

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"I love America," Soriano said.

The fashion designer said he was once employed by stars, including Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus and Courtney Love, but was blacklisted when he designed the infamous "MAGA" dress from 2017.

"That's when our lives changed," he said. "We had death threats."

"There are a lot of celebrities in Hollywood that are very divisive, and they didn't really like President Trump," Soriano said.

The creative director added that he lost his friends, clients and potential business opportunities in California.

Johnson was also blacklisted as a stage and film actress when she was photographed marching at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a sign that read "Trump is your president."

"We’re in an industry where we can’t just say what we want or how we feel," Johnson said.

"We don't fit the mold."

Questions over Vindman’s military records evolve into campaign finance probe for super PAC ties

A Virginia congressional candidate whose brother was a star witness in the first then-President Donald Trump impeachment is facing allegations of campaign finance violations and misrepresenting his military record.

The campaign staff of Eugene Vindman, a Democratic candidate in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, referred press inquiries about the candidate’s military record to VoteVets, a political action committee (PAC) that supports progressive military veterans running for office. VoteVets has endorsed Vindman, a former Army infantry officer and Army lawyer.

Two watchdog groups – the Functional Government Initiative and the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust – allege in separate complaints to the Federal Election Commission that this is illegal coordination between the campaign and the super PAC. The FEC complaints allege VoteVets PAC provided a service to the Vindman campaign by managing its press inquiries.

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"The law is quite clear that providing a service to a campaign is an in-kind contribution. Communication is something a campaign usually pays for, not having a super PAC make statements," Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), told Fox News Digital.

Eugene Vindman is the brother of Col. Alexander Vindman, a former National Security Council member who testified in the 2019 House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This led to Trump’s first House Democrat-led impeachment.

Eugene Vindman is running against Republican Derrick Anderson, a former Army Green Beret.

FACT is basing its complaint on a documented email exchange between a Washington Free Beacon reporter, Vindman’s campaign manager and Travis Tazelaar, the political director VoteVets PAC.

"We have seen campaigns push the limits with super PACs, but this is not just pushing the limits. It’s an explicit in-kind contribution," Arnold said.

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Last month, Vindman's campaign manager Jeremy Levinson said in the email to a Washington Free Beacon reporter, "I am looping in VoteVets who is going to be providing comments on our behalf to your initial inquiry."

The campaign manager added, "All future questions on this matter or any matters can be directed to him."

To say "or any matters" is problematic, Arnold said.

"The traditional timeline for an FEC investigation is long. We hope they can expedite this case given the circumstances," Arnold said. "The Vindman campaign referred the press to VoteVets on this and any other issues."

In this case, Tazelaar responded to the Free Beacon’s media inquiry with a statement on Vindman's behalf.

A Vindman campaign spokesperson was dismissive of the FEC complaints.

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"The bottom line is that we worked with the coordinated side of the VoteVets organization on the response to the Free Beacon outreach," a Vindman campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "The FEC rules are clear that this interaction does not violate its rules and would not constitute an in-kind contribution."

Similarly, David Mitrani, the general counsel to VoteVets, said there was no FEC violation.

"The claims made in Functional Government Initiative’s complaint is simply false," Mitrani told Fox News Digital in a statement. "VoteVets’ activities are in full compliance with campaign finance laws."

The statement only addressed one complaint. In a follow-up email, a VoteVets spokesperson said the statement was intended to address complaints from both the Functional Government Initiative and the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.

The six-member Federal Election Commission is equally made up of Republicans and Democrats and rulings often end in tie votes.

Federal law on coordinated communication, or 11 CFR 109.21(h); 11 C.F.R. 106.1(c)(1), covers when campaign work "is paid for, in whole or in part, by a person other than that candidate, authorized committee, or political party committee." The law also prohibits an outside "vendor," within 120 days of the election from developing "media strategy, including the selection or purchasing of advertising slots," developing "the content of a public communication," and "producing a public communication."

The controversy over campaign finance laws stems from the questions over Vindman’s military record.

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Vindman’s GOP opponent Derrick Anderson said Vindman "should answer all these legitimate questions about inflating his military resume."

"I respect that he served in the military, but voters deserve answers – not another D.C. politician that hides from them," Anderson told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Right now, Vindman won’t even debate me on TV because he’s not willing to answer questions about the simple fact that he’s not being straight with voters about his resume."

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Vindman had previously said he "fought for our nation in combat," however a 2019 Daily Mail article said Vindman "has not seen combat." In mid-August, the Washington Free Beacon reported that when it contacted the Vindman campaign, campaign chief Levinson copied VoteVets Tazelaar and referred "all future questions" to the PAC.

In its response to the Beacon, the VoteVets spokesperson reportedly said, "There was no front line in Iraq — and the Vindman family was grateful that Eugene was able to return home unscathed while so many other of our brothers and sisters in arms did not."

Trump endorses former Green Beret, Army colonel in their bids to flip House seats from blue to red

Former President Trump on Friday endorsed two Republican House candidates, both of whom served in the U.S. Army and are seeking to flip Democrat-held seats this fall.

Trump's endorsements of Derrick Anderson, a former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, and Laurie Buckhout, a former Army colonel, came one day after his debate against President Biden.

In his endorsement of Anderson, the Republican nominee to represent Virginia's 7th Congressional District, Trump said, "He bravely fought for our Great Country as a Green Beret, and was deployed to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon. Unlike the current administration, he never left anyone behind!

"Derrick is America First all the way, and he is running against a weak and pathetic Democrat named Yevgeny ‘Eugene’ Vindman who, along with Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff and others, lied to push the Ukraine Impeachment Hoax, a continuation of the greatest and most dangerous Political WITCH HUNT in the History of our Country."

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Anderson is running for the seat held by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who announced in November that she would seek the Democratic Party's nomination for governor of Virginia in 2025.

"Derrick Anderson has my Complete and Total Endorsement - HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN," Trump said.

In announcing his campaign in September, Anderson told Fox News Digital he could "no longer remain silent on the sidelines."

"I have spent my life serving this country overseas, including combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Watching President Biden and Washington Democrats squander 22 years of sacrifices made by our service members and their families was the final straw for me," Anderson said at the time.

Anderson served in the Army from 2006 to 2014 before his first run for Congress in 2022. That year, he narrowly lost the Republican primary to former congressional candidate Yesli Vega. Spanberger, a former CIA operative, defeated Vega in the general election by just under 5%, securing her third term after she was first elected in the 2018 midterms.

Anderson advanced to the general election after defeating five other Republicans in the state's June 18 primary. He will face off against Vindman, the Democratic Party's nominee, Nov. 5.

In his endorsement of Buckhout, the Republican nominee to represent North Carolina's 1st Congressional District, Trump said, "Laurie bravely served our Country as an Army Colonel and Decorated Combat Commander and, in Congress, she will Grow the Economy, Lower Inflation, Uphold the Rule of Law, Secure our Border, Support our Military/Vets, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment."

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Trump said he believes Buckhout "will be an incredible Representative for the fantastic people" of the state's 1st congressional district.

"Laurie Buckhout has my Complete and Total Endorsement," the former president added.

Buckhout, who served for 26 years in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of colonel before she retired in 2010, is aiming to flip a blue House seat to red in her challenge against incumbent Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C.

Buckhout advanced to the general election in March after defeating Sandy Smith, her sole primary challenger.

Speaking to Fox News Digital earlier this year, Buckhout accused Davis, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served for 14 years in the North Carolina state Senate before getting elected to the House in Nov. 2022, of being a "career politician" who has "never had a day in his life where he's run a business."

Additionally, Buckhout accused Davis of being "beholden" to President Biden and the Democratic policies that continue to wreak havoc on her district.

Davis later fired back at Buckhout's allegations during an interview with Fox News Digital.

"Let me be clear. I want to thank Col. Buckhout for her service to our country. But I think she couldn't be more off on that whole comment because this is not about being beholden," the first-term lawmaker said. "I've heard about flipping the seat. But, for me, it's about fighting every day for families of eastern North Carolina."

Buckhout will face Davis, who ran unopposed, in the general election Nov. 5.

Vindman wins the Democratic primary for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District

Eugene Vindman won the Democratic Party's nomination for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday. 

The race among Democrats comes after the incumbent Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced she would not seek re-election in favor of running for governor of the Old Dominion next year. 

Seven Democrats vied for the nomination in the crowded primary election, including: Prince County Supervisor Andrea Bailey; Prince County Supervisor Margaret Franklin; former state House Delegate Elizabeth Guzman; Virginia House Delegate Briana Sewell; Carl Bedell; Clifford Heinzer; and retired Army Col. Eugene Vindman. 

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Vindman and his twin brother, retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, gained national attention in 2020 during former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment. The brothers both worked for the National Security Council under the Trump administration, with the congressional candidate helping his brother blow the whistle on Trump’s phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding first son Hunter Biden’s business dealings in the nation. 

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Alexander Vindman testified before Congress against the president amid the impeachment, while Eugene Vindman assisted his brother in raising concerns regarding Trump’s phone call with Zelenskyy. The congressional candidate filed a complaint with the Pentagon's Inspector General in August of 2020 after he was fired from the National Security Council, citing the White House retaliated against him for his role raising concerns regarding the phone call. 

Vindman benefited from massive campaign donation hauls during the primary, raising over $5 million, far more than both Democrats and Republicans working to win the seat, according to Virginia Public Access Project. Vindman outraised his closest competitor in the Democratic primary, Bailey, by roughly 15 times.

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"An advantage in terms of endorsements from top Democrats, the funding advantage that he has in terms of ability to raise money and the fact he has a name that is well-known — that puts him in a position to be better-known than the other candidates,"  Stephen Farnsworth, a political analyst at the University of Mary Washington, told NBC Washington of Vindman ahead of the primary election. 

The 7th Congressional District stretches from central Virginia to Northern Virginia, encompassing counties such as Orange, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, and parts of Prince William County outside of Washington, D.C. The district is currently considered one that leans or tilts towards the Democratic Party, according to various election ratings. 

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Vindman’s fellow Democratic challengers knocked him as someone who is not well-acquainted with the area, noting he’s never held public office. 

"He does not understand the community. He's not very infused in the community. He's not been participating in the community as an advocate," Bailey told the Associated Press.

Vindman has defended his lack of political experience, arguing he will face "zero learning curve" if elected to office, the outlet reported. 

"The people that are attracted to my campaign are attracted to the values that I will bring to this job: the fact that I will fight for priorities, that I put a ready career on the line and lost my military career in standing up to Donald Trump," he said.