Opinion: Abigail Spanberger will protect reproductive freedom—Sears wants to end it

In an exclusive op-ed for the Dogwood, Jamie Lockhart, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, announces the organization is endorsing Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor.

Reproductive health care is deeply personal—it touches every aspect of our lives, from when and whether to become a parent, to how we manage our health and plan our futures. Over the last five years, I’ve had the privilege of hearing countless Virginians share deeply personal stories—of navigating miscarriages, making the decision to have an abortion, relying on birth control to plan their futures, and facing high-risk pregnancies. 

I’ve shared some of those experiences myself, including the long journey to welcoming my two children after struggling with infertility. These aren’t political talking points—they’re real experiences with real consequences. That’s why Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia endorses candidates who will protect access to reproductive health care – candidates that trust people to make the decisions that are right for them.

With abortion rights under attack across the South, Virginians face a defining moment. Our commonwealth now stands alone in the region as the last state that hasn’t passed more restrictions on abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned. What happens in the 2025 election will determine whether Virginia will remain a place where our rights are protected —or slide backward alongside our neighbors.

That’s why Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia is proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger for governor. We can trust her to safeguard our reproductive freedom, protect Virginians’ right to make personal health care decisions, and defend against dangerous efforts to ban abortion and restrict contraception.

Spanberger’s record speaks for itself. In Congress, she voted twice to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade by passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. She supported the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act to protect people traveling across state lines for care. She voted to enshrine the right to contraception into federal law. And here in Virginia, she has been a vocal champion of the Right to Contraception Act, which would guarantee Virginians the right to access the contraception that fits their needs, and the proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee reproductive freedom for generations to come.

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears recently added a handwritten note above her signature on the Reproductive Freedom Amendment resolution, which would safeguard Virginians’ right to abortion, IVF and contraception for generations to come: “I am morally opposed to this bill…,” she wrote.

That message was more than political theater—it was a warning. Anti-abortion extremists are determined to roll back our rights by any means necessary. 

RELATED: Virginia Dems to Sears: Reproductive rights should not be ‘political’

Electing Earle-Sears as governor would turn symbolic opposition into a dangerous reality. A governor hostile to reproductive health could veto future protections, use the budget to restrict access to reproductive health care, and appoint anti-abortion officials to key posts across state government. Virginians deserve the freedom to make their own medical decisions without interference from politicians, and we have the power to choose a governor who will protect that freedom. The 2025 election will shape the future of reproductive rights in Virginia for decades to come.

Let’s be clear: this election isn’t theoretical. The next governor will set the tone, wield veto power, and control the bully pulpit as Virginians consider whether to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in our Constitution. We need a governor who will use that platform to protect our rights—not erase them.

Lt. Governor Winsome Sears has made her position painfully clear. She supports a near total abortion ban similar to the law in Texas, has refused to support basic contraception protections, and even said she would support an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. She has called abortion “murder” and “genocide.” And she cast the tie-breaking vote against a bill that would have guaranteed Virginians the right to birth control—then admitted she wouldn’t sign it into law if she were governor. 

Sears is out of step with Virginians, the majority of whom believe that these are personal decisions, not political ones. She proudly proclaimed that she was standing “shoulder to shoulder” with an organization that called IVF “child trafficking” and is working to ban abortion. Her views are dangerous and out-of-touch—and the consequences of her agenda would be devastating.

This race comes down to a simple question: Do we want a governor who will protect our rights, or one who will take them away? Abigail Spanberger is the clear choice for anyone who believes in freedom, privacy, and the right to make their own personal health care decisions.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia is mobilizing voters across the Commonwealth to ensure that reproductive freedom remains protected—not just for today, but for the future. We urge every Virginian to stand with us, support Abigail Spanberger, and make a plan to vote this fall.