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 change into the primary feminine Black governor.
Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, left, and Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, proper.
AP
There’s no 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 occasion typically loses the Virginia governor’s race, which at all times falls within the 12 months following a presidential election.
Spanberger has made it clear she’s working towards Mr. Trump’s insurance policies in the course of the marketing campaign, saying, “It is because of the trade wars and the retaliatory tariff policies and the attack on Virginia, our economy and our people, that we recognize the possibility of November 4.”
The Trump administration’s broadsides towards the federal workforce hit Virginia onerous, for the reason that state has tons of of hundreds of civilian federal staff and contractors. In addition to the reduction-in-force cuts by the administration, federal employees are taking an financial hit within the authorities shutdown that’s now stretching into its second month.
Earle-Sears has targeted on immigration and transgender points, and of their October debate, she pressed Spanberger on whether or not she’d preserve transgender youth out of women’ highschool sports activities and bogs.
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 folks to vote for Republicans, however he didn’t point out Earle-Sears by title.
