Winsome Earle-Sears

Spanberger rallies with Latino legislators in Del Ray ahead of Election Day next week

Published October 30, 2025 at 4:30PM | Updated October 30, 2025 at 6:20PM

Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks at Los Tios in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood, Oct. 30, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger appeared in a “Latinos for Spanberger” rally today (Thursday) in Alexandria.

Spanberger spoke at a packed event at Los Tios (2615 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray, flanked by Latino legislators Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Del. Alfonso Lopez D-Virginia House District 3), and City Council Member Canek Aguirre. Spanberger has a 10-digit lead against her opponent, Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, according to a recent Roanoke College poll.

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Candidates in Virginia governor’s debate clash over shutdown and violent rhetoric

By The Associated Press

Published October 9, 2025 at 9:01PM | Updated October 9, 2025 at 9:19PM

This combo image shows Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, left, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, right. (AP Photo)

By OLIVIA DIAZ, STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia gubernatorial candidates Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger faced off Thursday for the first and only time on the debate stage in a fiery affair that was combative from the very first answer.

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Early voting begins Sept. 19 in Alexandria for statewide races

By James Cullum

Published September 9, 2025 at 1:30PM

A voting sign at the Alexandria Registrar of Voters, 132 N. Royal Street, in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Early voting for November’s general election starts on Friday, Sept. 19, across Virginia. Here’s what you need to know in Alexandria.

Early voting starts 45 days before election day, and the only contested elections voters can decide on in Alexandria are for the Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

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New poll shows Spanberger ahead, but Earle-Sears closes gap

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Published August 19, 2025 at 7:55AM | Updated August 19, 2025 at 12:50PM

Democrat Abigail Spanberger (left) and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears are competing in Virginia’s 2025 governor’s race. A new Roanoke College Poll shows Spanberger leading by 7 points. (Photos by Parker Michels-Boyce and Mechelle Hankerson for the Virginia Mercury)

Democrat Abigail Spanberger holds a 7-point lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in the race for Virginia governor, according to a new Roanoke College Poll that shows the contest tightening since the spring.

The survey, released by the college’s Institute for Policy and Opinion Research Tuesday morning, found Spanberger supported by 46% of likely voters compared with 39% for Earle-Sears. Fourteen percent remain undecided, and 1% said they would back someone else. The numbers mark a closer race than in May, when Roanoke’s poll showed Spanberger ahead 43%-26%.

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Republican Winsome Earle-Sears is on the defensive in Virginia’s race for governor

By Olivia Diaz | Associated Press/Report For America

Published August 10, 2025 at 9:09AM | Updated August 10, 2025 at 11:56AM

Republican Winsome Earle-Sears greets voters at her military-themed rally at Saucy’s Sit-Down Bar.B.Q in Hopewell, Va., on Aug. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Olivia Diaz)

HOPEWELL, Va. (AP) — Against an olive drab backdrop in a barbecue joint filled with the aroma of pulled pork and the sweat of a Virginia summer, Republican Winsome Earle-Sears told voters she was running her campaign for governor like a military-style operation.

The lieutenant governor, a former Marine, said she would protect Virginia just as she did America. The way Earle-Sears tells it, not all attacks come from soldiers.

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Spanberger outraises Earle-Sears 2-to-1 in Virginia governor’s race

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Published July 16, 2025 at 8:00PM | Updated July 17, 2025 at 5:50AM

Virginia governor candidates Abigail Spanberger (left) and Winsome Earle-Sears. (Spanberger photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury, Earle-Sears photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury)

Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is opening a financial and polling gap in the race for governor, outraising her Republican opponent Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by nearly 2-to-1 last quarter and entering the final four months of Virginia’s statewide election season with more than triple the cash on hand.

New campaign finance filings show the Democrat raised a record-breaking $10.7 million in the second quarter — including $4.3 million in the final weeks of June — and ended the period with $15.2 million in the bank. Earle-Sears brought in $5.9 million over the same three months, finishing June with $4.5 million on hand.

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Big Bucks, big stakes: Virginia candidates raise over $20 Million as 2025 election season heats up

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Published April 16, 2025 at 2:30PM | Updated April 16, 2025 at 3:06PM

Virginia governor candidates Abigail Spanberger (left) and Winsome Earle-Sears. (Spanberger photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury, Earle-Sears photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury)

With three statewide offices and all 100 House of Delegates seats up for grabs, Virginia Department of Elections campaign finance reports show candidates across the commonwealth pulled in a staggering $20.4 million between Jan. 1 and March 31, underscoring the intensity and razor-sharp competition ahead.

In the marquee governor’s race, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger has soared to an early financial lead, raising $6.7 million to Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ $3.1 million. Spanberger enters the heart of campaign season with $11 million cash on hand — nearly three times more than her GOP opponent.