VA-GOV: Republicans make a last gasp at Virginia

With her campaign far behind in polling and fundraising, Virginia GOP gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears is set to announce staff changes later this week, according to three people familiar with campaign personnel decisions.

Earle-Sears, Virginia’s lieutenant governor, is attempting to become the first Black woman ever elected governor in the nation’s history — and the first Virginia Republican in nearly 30 years to succeed a sitting GOP governor. Democrats and Republicans alike see the governor’s race as an important bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterms and an appraisal of President Donald Trump’s first few months back in office.

But a recent poll from Virginia Commonwealth University has her trailing Democrat Abigail Spanberger by double digits — 49 percent to 37 percent. The latest campaign finance reports also show Spanberger with a significant fundraising advantage. Between June 6 and June 30, Spanberger raised $4.2 million and had more than $15 million on hand, whereas Earle-Sears raised only $2.3 million in the same period. Her campaign has $4.5 million cash on hand as of July 15.

With little more than 100 days until Election Day, Earle-Sears is banking on a staff shake-up to help steady the campaign.


https://www.politico.com/newsletters/the-recast/2025/07/22/winsome-earle-sears-virginia-governor-campaign-00466996