(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)
An analysis of the Va. governor candidates’ face-off
BY AVI TERALI, STAFF WRITER
The action was intense during the Virginia Gubernatorial debate on Oct. 9 as candidates Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears battled not only for the spotlight but also for Virginia’s future.
During the debate, Earle-Sears consistently spoke over Spanberger, creating a distraction and showing voters a glimpse of the political chaos that would take place if she were to assume office.
Meet the Candidates
Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and former CIA agent, is focused on strengthening public schools, making Va. more affordable, and keeping communities safe — all while putting Va. first.
Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican and U.S. Marine Corps veteran serving as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor under Glenn Youngkin since 2022, is running for governor because she believes the state needs bold leadership to advance conservative values for all Virginians.
The Issues and the Heat
The debate was centered around hot-button issues, including the economy, abortion rights, education and transgender students in sports and bathrooms.
The debate opened up with the texting scandal surrounding the Democrat candidate for Va. attorney general, Jay Jones. Text messages from 2022 resurfaced in early October where he talked about shooting former Va. House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
Spanberger said Jones’ texts were “absolutely abhorrent” and that she would “denounce them at every opportunity.” She made it clear that regardless of political party, it is “important that candidates always denounce violence.”
Spanberger’s approach was respectable — she didn’t avoid the scandal and clearly stated that violence is unacceptable. However, she should have gone further and outlined tangible steps to move forward from the controversy.
Instead, Spanberger remained on defense as Earle-Sears repeatedly attacked her, making Spanberger appear uninformed about her own party.
When the discussion turned to transgender students, Spanberger avoided the question, instead talking about involving parents and teachers in students’ identity.
On the other hand, Earle-Sears painted a disturbing image, asking Spanberger what she would do if her daughter came crying to her because there was a man in the bathroom with her. This comment felt especially distasteful because Spanberger’s daughter was in the audience that night.
Notable Moments
A personal favorite moment during the debate was when Earle-Sears responded to a question about data centers.
“My opponent’s only plan is solar and wind. Well, what happens when the sun goes down?” Ignoring the obvious fallacy of this statement, it shows viewers the candidates’ true personalities. This silly statement sets back Earle-Sears, and, if anything, turns her into another meme sensation for TikTok.
Earle-Sears’ record on abortion also raises red flags. She called her opponent’s stance “extremist,” while claiming voters have the right to choose; yet, she says she’d use veto power as governor to get rid of abortion access.
That’s a contradiction — you can’t restrict rights and protect them at the same time.
Final Takeaways
The overall debate wasn’t particularly satisfying.The candidates didn’t address the issues to the extent that I wanted them to do. It was definitely a performance to see the moderators constantly telling Earle-Sears that she was being disruptive by not allowing Spanberger to complete her thoughts.
That fact alone makes it clear that Earle-Sears is not ready to engage in a simple civil conversation, let alone govern a whole state.
There are indications that Abigail Spanberger may win the election, given her strong polling advantage and her recent endorsement from former President Barack Obama.
Meanwhile, Winsome Earle-Sears claims that Donald Trump supports her — yet he has not formally endorsed her or said anything publicly in her favor.
Whatever the outcome may be of the election, it will go down in history as Virginia will be electing its first female governor.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Fourth Estate welcomes opinion articles by people of all beliefs. If you feel strongly about a subject and want your voice to be heard, please email Opinion Editor Emma G. Schaible at eschaib@gmu.edu.
