Political violence is becoming too commonplace. And now it’s crossed a line that should never be crossed.
And a GOP lawmaker was targeted with a death threat for stating the obvious.
Imagine pouring your heart into serving your community, only to receive a menacing text promising violence at your next public event – all for standing up against divisive rhetoric.
That’s the reality for Virginia Del. Geary Higgins, the second Republican lawmaker in a week to face a death threat, in a state still grappling with the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. As political divides deepen, Higgins is standing firm, vowing to fight for his constituents despite the shadow of fear.
A Threat Hits Close to Home in Loudoun County
The trouble started when Higgins, a Republican stalwart in the increasingly blue Loudoun County, sent a campaign text calling out a protester’s offensive sign at a rally for Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
The sign, displayed near Earle-Sears’ team at an Arlington school board event, made a crude comparison between transgender bathroom policies and racial segregation – a jab at Earle-Sears, a Jamaican immigrant poised to make history as Virginia’s first Black female governor. Higgins’ response was measured but firm, condemning the sign’s divisive tone.
Then came the chilling reply. Patrick Murphy, a Purcellville resident, allegedly texted Higgins with a violent threat, promising to target him at his next rally and even mentioning his children.
“Let me be clear: threats of violence have no place in our political discourse. I will not be intimidated, silenced, or deterred from doing the job I was elected to do—fighting for my constituents in Western Loudoun and Fauquier counties, and standing up for common sense,” Higgins told Fox News Digital on Monday.
Local police acted swiftly, arresting Murphy on felony charges with a court date set for next month in Leesburg. Higgins expressed gratitude for law enforcement’s quick response and called for prayers for his family and all public officials navigating what he described as a “period of increasing threats and political violence.”
Heated Rhetoric Fuels a Dangerous Climate
Higgins didn’t hold back on what he sees as the root cause: a barrage of inflammatory attacks from political opponents. He pointed to his Democratic challenger, Warrenton innkeeper John McAuliff, whose campaign ads have accused Higgins of corruption and tied him to controversial issues like data center development in Virginia and West Virginia. “The last two sessions in Richmond we’ve been called every name under the sun. It should be shocking to no one that continuing to vilify political opponents will ultimately lead to violence,” Higgins warned.
As a former Loudoun County supervisor and the last Republican delegate in a county known for its contentious school policy debates, Higgins feels the weight of representing conservative values in a shifting region. McAuliff, in a statement to Fox News Digital, denounced political violence, saying, “Differences must be settled through debate and elections, never through threats or intimidation.” He reached out to Higgins personally, expressing relief that no one was harmed and thanking law enforcement. Still, conservatives argue that overheated campaign rhetoric risks inciting unstable individuals, a concern amplified by recent events.
Echoes of Kirk’s M*rder: A State on Edge
The threat against Higgins follows a similar scare last week against Del. Kim Taylor, who flipped a Democratic stronghold in Petersburg in 2021. A Dinwiddie County man allegedly texted her campaign with threats to her life, accusing Republicans of “ruining the country.”
Taylor, now facing a tight rematch, also called out Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger for urging supporters to “let your rage fuel you” – words Spanberger insists were about voter engagement, not violence, while condemning all forms of aggression.
Looming large is the September 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder gunned down by a sniper during a speech in Utah. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, left a note railing against Kirk’s “hate,” tying the act to political motives. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Virginia, where some educators’ callous online remarks about Kirk’s death drew rebukes from state officials. With Gen-Z conservatives rallying around Kirk’s legacy, the state’s election season feels like a powder keg. For Higgins and Taylor, it’s a call to courage – serving their communities shouldn’t mean risking their lives, but they’re not backing down in the face of fear.
