Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is working towards former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger within the race, and in both case, the winner will make historical past within the commonwealth as its first feminine governor. If Earle-Sears wins, she’ll turn out to be the primary feminine Black governor.
AP
There isn’t any incumbent on this race — there by no means is, since Virginia governors might not run for consecutive phrases below state legislation.
Virginia’s gubernatorial election is commonly seen as a possible referendum on the incumbent president. The president’s social gathering typically loses the Virginia governor’s race, which all the time falls within the yr following a presidential election.
Spanberger has made it clear she’s working towards Mr. Trump’s insurance policies through the marketing campaign, saying, “It’s due to the commerce wars and the retaliatory tariff insurance policies and the assault on Virginia, our economic system and our individuals, that we acknowledge the potential of November 4.”
The Trump administration’s broadsides towards the federal workforce hit Virginia onerous, for the reason that state has a whole lot of 1000’s of civilian federal workers and contractors. Apart from the reduction-in-force cuts by the administration, federal employees are taking an financial hit within the authorities shutdown that is now stretching into its second month.
Earle-Sears has centered on immigration and transgender points, and of their October debate, she pressed Spanberger on whether or not she’d hold transgender youth out of women’ highschool sports activities and loos.
Throughout the marketing campaign, Earle-Sears has campaigned alongside Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, however she was not endorsed by President Trump. Mr. Trump appeared in a telerally on Monday evening for the Republican ticket, attacking Spanberger and inspiring individuals to vote for Republicans, however he did not point out Earle-Sears by identify.
