Republican Del. A.C. Cordoza got a magistrate-issued protection order after a Democratic staffer allegedly threatened to “put a knot” on his head, and the episode has become another flashpoint in a larger debate over political violence and campaign tactics in Virginia. The magistrate’s order quotes, “Mr. Cordoza was attempting to speak to a voter at the registrar’s office. Ms. Sanders approached him and told him to ‘back off’ as he was walking away,” and records the warning, “This is the last time I’m going to tell you” and “I’ll put a knot on your head.” Cordoza and his allies say this is part of a pattern of threats against Republican lawmakers, while the opposing campaign paints a different picture. The clash raises questions about intimidation at the polls, disputed attack ads, and the broader tone of political contests in the state.
Cordoza, who represents Poquoson and parts of Hampton, says the confrontation began while he was talking to voters and that it quickly felt unsafe. “I was engaging with voters at the poll; talking about my record … and one of my opponent’s campaign workers got upset and decided it was a great idea to threaten me — and in today’s day and age with the left’s political violence and just where we are in this climate, I wasn’t going to take any chances,” he said. He called Hampton police, who responded and investigated the incident. An officer suggested filing for a protection order, which Magistrate Judge Gregory Kaliris granted.
The campaign of Democratic challenger Virgil Thornton Sr. disputed Cordoza’s account, saying the roles were reversed and that Cordoza “surrounded” Thornton’s niece and “used his size to intimidate her.” Police did not end up filing charges against either party, leaving the magistrate’s protective order as the formal response. Local media coverage noted both sides’ versions, but the court action sided with Cordoza’s immediate need for protection. That reality, supporters say, matters when campaigns are noisy and confrontations can escalate.
Cordoza also pointed to a pattern of negative campaign tactics aimed at him, including an attack ad that local station coverage challenged with a “truth tracker.” One ad alleged that Cordoza brandished a firearm at a police officer, but Cordoza says the encounter was different — a man in plainclothes aggressively approached his vehicle while the two were stuck in traffic and broke his door handle. He insists he never held up a gun but only indicated he had one in a side holster for self-defense, and the details in the ad left out context that local reporting flagged as questionable.
Another claim in that ad accused Cordoza of chasing a young woman when he was 18, yet police records showed he committed no crime in that incident. Local verification found that Cordoza had actually been the victim of a robbery in that episode and that the woman involved changed her story multiple times. Those discrepancies, his camp says, are part of a pattern of smears designed to paint him as violent when official records and local reporting do not support those claims. Cordoza’s defenders argue this kind of distortion is dangerous in a heated political environment.
Cordoza warned that the incident is not isolated. “I can tell you one of the craziest parts about this is I’m the third member of the General Assembly that has been threatened this year, just in this political cycle.” He cited Del. Kim Taylor, who received a texted death threat and whose suspect was arrested, and Del. Geary Higgins, who was allegedly threatened with being shot after defending Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears. These episodes, he says, show a disturbing normalization of political threats aimed at conservatives and Republicans.
Across the water in Norfolk, former lawmaker Jay Jones has become embroiled in controversy over texts envisioning violence, a scandal Cordoza believes Democrats have not treated with the seriousness it deserves. He blasted Democrats for failing to call on Jones to quit the attorney general race, arguing that ignoring violent rhetoric sends the wrong message. “We’re approaching an area where we can’t turn back as a nation,” he said, warning about the cumulative impact of threats, insinuations, and political violence on public life.
In the aftermath of the registrar’s office encounter, Cordoza said he has not heard from House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, but he praised his relationship with Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. He continues to push legislation aimed at protecting public officials and citizens in visible roles, including efforts around the Virginia Safety and Service Act. He also pointed to the CODI Alert he authored, the Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative, noting its practical success: all 14 CODI children have since been found.
