Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) has lost some ground following her recent debate with Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) as the two are vying for control of the governor&#8217;s mansion.
During the debate — which came just over a week after a text message scandal embroiled another Virginia Democrat, Jay Jones, as he runs to replace state Attorney General Jason Miyares — Spanberger repeatedly dodged direct questions or clammed up entirely as she was pressed on whether or not she&#8217;d walk back her endorsement of Jones.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BRUTAL
Debate moderator has to follow up repeatedly for TWO MINUTES to get Abigail Spanberger to say whether she still endorses Jay Jones.
&#8220;We are all running our individual races&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/KZhebTiWLe">pic.twitter.com/KZhebTiWLe</a>
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleMartinsen_/status/1976427949973963256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
When asked directly by the debate moderator to say whether she&#8217;d known about the texts before they went public and whether she&#8217;d still endorse Jones, Spanberger ignored the endorsement question and complained about the political motives of the people who had released the texts.
The moderator pressed again, asking for a &#8220;yes&#8221; or &#8220;no&#8221; on the endorsement, and Spanberger once again did not answer, saying instead that the final decision would be up to the voters and that all of the candidates would be responsible for running their own individual races.
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In the text messages in question, Jones had openly advocated the assassination of a political rival — then state House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) — and suggested that the only way Gilbert would ever change his political positions would be if he and his wife were forced to watch one of their two young children die. Spanberger had condemned the comments immediately, but had also stopped short of withdrawing her endorsement.
Earle-Sears also posed the question to Spanberger, who stonewalled her and refused to even look at her while she was asking the question.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Virginia’s <a href="https://twitter.com/WinsomeSears?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WinsomeSears</a> asks <a href="https://twitter.com/SpanbergerForVA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpanbergerForVA</a> why she won’t condemn Dem AG candidate Jay Jones for calling for the kids of a political opponent to die while Spanberger refuses to even look at her in their debate. This is powerful. <a href="https://t.co/KTGsNAd67L">pic.twitter.com/KTGsNAd67L</a>
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1976490352052715674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
Earle-Sears followed the debate with a brutal ad showcasing Spanberger&#8217;s abject refusal to address the situation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Brutal ad that drives home how terrible Abigail Spanberger&#8217;s debate strategy was <a href="https://t.co/HQfgMSxrc0">pic.twitter.com/HQfgMSxrc0</a>
— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) <a href="https://twitter.com/peterjhasson/status/1976703196266742203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
Shortly after the debate, the polls began to tighten noticeably.
Focus groups panned Spanberger&#8217;s performance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Brutal reviews for Abigail Spanberger&#8217;s debate performance from George Mason University students:
&#8220;Spanberger looked stiff&#8221;
&#8220;Spanberger failed to make an impression&#8221;
&#8220;Spanberger didn&#8217;t even reference Earle-Sears by her name&#8221;
&#8220;When I heard [Earle-Sears] speaking, I felt liked… <a href="https://t.co/TRIC34fCAK">pic.twitter.com/TRIC34fCAK</a>
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleMartinsen_/status/1977364671154835635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;New Trafalgar numbers show Abigail Spanberger at 47.7% and Winsome Sears at 45.1%, a razor-thin 2-point gap that confirms what insiders already knew: Virginia is a battleground again,&#8221; Walter Curt posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨BREAKING: Winsome Sears Post Debate Poll Narrows Race to 2 Points—Virginia Officially in Play
New Trafalgar numbers show Abigail Spanberger at 47.7% and Winsome Sears at 45.1%, a razor-thin 2-point gap that confirms what insiders already knew: Virginia is a battleground again.… <a href="https://t.co/AjKD0BSFtn">pic.twitter.com/AjKD0BSFtn</a>
— Walter Curt (@WCdispatch_) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCdispatch_/status/1977097454051860967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Virginia Gubernatorial Race Heats Up As Democrat’s Debate Strategy Falls Flat

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Virginia Gubernatorial Race Heats Up As Democrat’s Debate Strategy Falls Flat