VA governor race set between Winsome Earle-Sears, Abigail Spanberger – Washington Examiner
The Virginia gubernatorial race is officially set between Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the current Lieutenant Governor, and Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. representative. Earle-Sears has been declared the Republican nominee after her primary opponent, Amanda Chase, failed to qualify for the ballot. In her statement, Earle-Sears expressed gratitude for the support she received and emphasized the importance of continuing to protect Virginia from radical changes. Spanberger secured her nomination as the deadline passed, promising to engage in meaningful conversations with Virginians during the campaign. The upcoming election on November 4, 2025, is particularly critically important, as the victor will become the first female governor in Virginia’s history, and if Earle-Sears wins, she would make history as the first Black woman governor in the U.S. The race is anticipated to reflect public sentiment regarding Trump’s presidency, thereby serving as a bellwether for future elections.
Virginia governor’s race is set between Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger
The battle to succeed outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) is set.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears will compete against former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger to become the next Virginia governor.
The Republican Party of Virginia declared Earle-Sears the nominee Saturday afternoon after former state Sen. Amanda Chase failed to qualify for the June primary ballot by submitting 10,000 valid signatures.
“I am deeply grateful for the support of the tens of thousands of Virginians who worked to earn our campaign’s place on the ballot this fall,” Earle-Sears said in a statement. “The stakes in this race couldn’t be higher – we must continue our work to protect the Commonwealth from radical changes that would undo the progress we’ve made in restoring prosperity to Virginia.”
Spanberger was declared the Democratic nominee after the deadline to make the ballot passed at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.
“As the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia, I look forward to having many more meaningful conversations with all Virginians,” Spanberger said in a statement.
The victor of the race will emerge as the Old Dominion’s first female executive in state history. If Earle-Sears prevails, it would also make her the first black woman governor in the nation’s history.
The lieutenant governor narrowly avoided a primary from Chase, who touted herself as “Trump in heels,” and would have likely forced Earle-Sears into a costly and bruising battle.
Another potential GOP primary challenger, Dave LaRock, dropped out of the race before the Thursday deadline claiming that he could not meet the signature requirement.
Earle-Sears has the backing of Youngkin, the commonwealth’s popular governor, and will likely have to run while toeing the line on embracing President Donald Trump, who never won Virginia in his three presidential campaigns.
Spanberger has slammed Trump and Virginia Republicans over the president’s recent reciprocal tariff announcement and efforts to slash the federal workforce.
The Virginia gubernatorial race, along with New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, is one of the first bellwether races that will reveal the public’s judgment of Trump’s presidency. It’s often seen as a warning sign for the midterm elections that follow afterward.
The Virginia election will be held on Nov. 4, 2025.
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