Spanberger, Earle-Sears officially declared nominees for Virginia governor’s race

It is now up to each candidate to win over an electorate on edge because of Elon’s Musk attacks on federal workers, the Trump administration’s potentially illegal cuts to federal spending and government agencies, and sweeping tariffs expected to raise prices for consumers.

An historic match-up has officially been set in the race this fall to become Virginia’s next governor. 

Former Democratic congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and the current Lieutenant Governor, Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, are the official nominees to become Virginia’s 75th governor. 

The matchup all but guarantees Virginia will have its first female governor, and an Earle-Sears victory would make her the first Black female governor in US history. 

Virginia’s current Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is term-limited by the state constitution, which forbids governors from serving consecutive terms. 

In addition to the governor’s race, Virginia will also elect a new Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General this fall. All 100 House of Delegates seats are also up for grabs as Democrats look to build on their one-seat majority in the lower chamber. 

Consolidating party support

The Democratic Party of Virginia declared Spanberger its official nominee on Thursday, after the filing deadline for candidates had passed. No other Democratic candidate besides Spanberger sought the nomination, although former Richmond Mayor Levar Stony last year briefly declared himself a candidate for governor before suspending his campaign and jumping into the crowded Lieutenant Governor’s race. 

“As the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia, I look forward to having many more meaningful conversations with all Virginians — across our communities and regardless of who they’ve cast their votes for in the past — about the issues that matter most to them,” Spanberger said in a statement.

The Republican Party of Virginia announced on Saturday that Earle-Sears was its official candidate. Two other Republicans – Amanda Chase and Dave LaRock – tried to force a primary but ultimately failed to get the signatures required to make the ballot. 

“We’ve made great progress over the past four years, but the fight for our Commonwealth is far from over,” Earle-Sears said on X. “I’m ready to lead that fight and build a safer, stronger, more prosperous Virginia for every family.”

Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears speaking at an anti-abortion rally in Richmond, Va. on April 2, 2025. (Michael O’Connor/The Dogwood)

National politics takes center stage

With their nominations secured, it is now up to Spanberger and Earle-Sears to win over an electorate on edge because of Elon’s Musk attacks on federal workers, the Trump administration’s potentially illegal cuts to federal spending and government agencies, and sweeping tariffs expected to raise prices for consumers. 

Earle-Sears has struggled to balance her embrace of the MAGA movement and support for the Trump administration with not wanting to appear unsympathetic to Virginia’s thousands of federal workers who have either been fired or are scared for their jobs. 

Youngkin and Earle-Sears have touted job openings, offered kind words, created a job listings website, and organized virtual job fairs for fired federal workers. 

“We’ve got jobs,” Earle-Sears told The Dogwood. “Don’t despair. Please go to the website.” 

Fundraising 

Each campaign recently touted their fundraising efforts. 

Spanberger’s campaign said it raised $6.7 million from January to March, including more than 50,000 contributions of $100 or less. The average grassroots donation was under $30, the campaign said. 

 “We are proud to run a grassroots campaign with the strong support of thousands of volunteers across every corner of our Commonwealth,” Samson Signori, Spanberger’s campaign manager, said in a statement. 

Earle-Sears’ campaign reported raising $3.1 million in the same period but did not break the figure down further. 

“Our campaign is proudly fueled by hardworking Virginians who want a leader who will cut taxes, defend parental rights, and keep our communities safe,” Earle-Sears said in a statement.