Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is operating in opposition to 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.
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There is no incumbent on this race — there by no means is, since Virginia governors might not run for consecutive phrases underneath state regulation.
Virginia’s gubernatorial election is commonly seen as a possible referendum on the incumbent president. The president’s social gathering usually 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 operating in opposition to 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 folks, that we acknowledge the potential of November 4.”
The Trump administration’s broadsides in opposition to the federal workforce hit Virginia arduous, for the reason that state has a whole bunch 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 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 maintain transgender youth out of ladies’ highschool sports activities and bogs.
In the course of 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 night time for the Republican ticket, attacking Spanberger and inspiring folks to vote for Republicans, however he did not point out Earle-Sears by identify.
