The Virginia governor’s race pits former Representative Abigail Spanberger, a centrist Democrat with a strong electoral record, against Winsome Earle-Sears, the state’s Republican lieutenant governor.
The state’s off-year governor races are often closely watched, and this year’s election may deliver some opposition to President Trump, particularly in suburbs of Washington where the president’s layoffs of federal workers have hit home.
Ms. Earle-Sears has struggled to gain fund-raising traction and has consistently trailed in the polls, giving Democrats a chance to regain the governor’s seat. The current governor, Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, cannot run again as the state prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms.
A woman has never been elected as governor in Virginia, so that barrier will be broken whoever wins.
What to Know About Abigail Spanberger
Ms. Spanberger, 46, is a former congresswoman and onetime C.I.A. operative with a history of winning tough races. Before entering politics, she investigated international terrorism.
A moderate known for bucking party leadership, she rose to Congress by capturing a conservative central Virginia district in 2018, and then held the seat in two competitive re-election races. She gave up her House seat to run for governor.
Ms. Spanberger has distinguished herself with her fund-raising prowess and her ability to garner support in rural areas. She has sought to pull her party toward the political center, and she opposed some aspects of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s policy agenda. Her efforts to prohibit members of Congress from trading stocks put her at odds with some Democrats.
What to Know About Winsome Earle-Sears
Ms. Earle-Sears, the lieutenant governor, is a socially conservative Marine veteran. While she said her party should move on from Mr. Trump before the Republican primaries in 2024, she is now a staunch supporter of the president.
Born in Jamaica, Ms. Earle-Sears, 61, moved to the United States in her youth. She is the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia, and she has the backing of Governor Youngkin.
A strong opponent of same-sex marriage and supporter of gun rights, Ms. Earle-Sears has run previous, unsuccessful, races for House and Senate seats. Mr. Trump has called her an “excellent” candidate for governor.
But she has struggled to keep up with the formidable fund-raising of the Democratic nominee and is behind in polls. Bill Bolling, the last Republican to serve as Virginia’s lieutenant governor, has said that many in the business community do not see Ms. Earle-Sears as a viable candidate.
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