Spanberger vs. Earle-Sears: How Virginia’s governor hopefuls compare on abortion, climate, and schools

This November, either Abigail Spanberger or Winsome Earle-Sears will be the first female governor in Virginia’s history. Here’s where each woman stands on issues important to Virginians. 

History will be made in Virginia this November, as voters will elect the first female governor in the commonwealth.

Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger faces Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears in the first-ever showdown between two women for the top seat in the state.

Spanberger is a former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman who is running on a progressive platform. 

Earle-Sears is a Marine veteran campaigning on conservative values and defending the GOP legacy of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, for whom she’s served as lieutenant governor since 2022. 

Here’s where each candidate stands on the issues.

Reproductive rights

Spanberger is a staunch defender of reproductive freedom. She has vowed to protect access to contraception, abortion, and IVF in Virginia, the only state in the South without a strict abortion ban. While in Congress, she supported efforts to codify Roe v. Wade, safeguard contraception, and protect travel rights for reproductive care.

Earle-Sears has a clear anti-abortion stance, promising to enact new abortion restrictions if elected. She has said she is “morally opposed” to legal amendments that would protect IVF, contraception, and abortion.

WATCH: Stark contrast between VA governor candidates on reproductive freedom

More: Earle-Sears on abortion: ‘You already made your choice’

On Our Socials: Spanberger goes to bat for public schools, abortion rights, and fair housing

Climate & energy

Spanberger pledges to accelerate Virginia’s transition to clean energy, support green jobs, and uphold state participation in climate initiatives like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Earle-Sears opposes climate mandates, and has vowed to roll back environmental regulations and prioritize energy affordability over emissions targets.

On Our Socials: Spanberger unveils new plan to lower Virginians’ energy costs

Rural issues

Focusing a large portion of her campaign on rural outreach, Spanberger said she supports expanding broadband access, investing in rural schools, and boosting farm economies.

Earle-Sears has promised that tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation would spur rural business growth and protect agricultural interests.

On Our Socials: Virginia’s largest police union has endorsed Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor

More: Veterans group backs Spanberger

Affordability

Spanberger has made affordability central to her campaign, launching her “Affordable Virginia Plan” to lower housing, energy, and health care costs. She also wants to strengthen the social safety net by focusing on raising wages and expanding workforce development.

Earle-Sears is campaigning on extending Youngkin-era tax cuts, opposing minimum wage hikes, and reducing state spending, arguing these steps will drive economic growth for all Virginians.

WATCH: Spanberger says she’ll be a ‘salesperson’ for Virginia’s economy

On Our Socials: Winsome Earle-Sears says Virginians won’t lose health care unless “they choose”

More: Under Youngkin and Earle-Sears, Virginia is the only state where unemployment rose in June

Education

Spanberger, who attended Virginia’s public schools and who sends her three daughters to them, proposes boosting public school funding, recruiting and retaining teachers, expanding access to early childhood education, and reversing GOP-backed censorship in classrooms.

In contrast, Earle-Sears champions expanding charter, lab, AI, and virtual schools, and wants to use taxpayer dollars for vouchers. She has also floated ideas like longer school days or year-round school.

On Our Socials: Winsome Earle-Sears supports defunding public education in Virginia—and we have the receipts

More: Abigail Spanberger: ‘It’s time to get culture wars out of our schools and let teachers teach’