With November approaching and early voting already underway, familiarity with Virginia’s candidates and their platforms is growing increasingly important for voters.
Headlining the ballot for governor are Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger, a former U.S. House representative, has centered her campaign around affordability for Virginians, asserting, “The most consistent issue that I hear across every corner of the Commonwealth relates to affordability,” according to WTKR 3. In particular, she has proposed reducing housing development red tape (excessive government regulation), investing in sustainable energy independence, lowering pharmaceutical costs and expanding child care programs throughout the state. She has also expressed support for unions and a minimum wage increase, according to WTKR 3.
Earle-Sears, the current lieutenant governor, by contrast, says that affordability is best achieved through reducing state taxes and “wasteful” government spending, per her campaign website. According to Virginia Business, she has also expressed explicit opposition to Virginia’s controversial car tax, which imposes an annual personal property tax on vehicles. She has also promised to protect right-to-work laws, which prohibit the use of union participation as a prerequisite for employment. Such regulation empowers workers to attain employment without paying union dues, indirectly hurting unions and advantaging local businesses.
The two candidates also differ on social issues. Beyond affordability, Spanberger supports bolstering Virginia’s public schools, according to Virginia Business. That’s a big difference from Earle-Sears’ support for school choice. Furthermore, Spanberger has pledged to repeal Executive Order 47, which allows state police to execute some immigration enforcement functions, according to the Virginia Mercury. On the same issue, Earle-Sears has taken the opposite view, saying, “The rule of law is not negotiable … Working with President Trump, we can take on the scourge of dangerous and violent illegal immigrants.”
It goes without saying that Virginia’s two gubernatorial candidates are political opposites. In any case, providing all with something to appreciate, the culmination of this election will yield Virginia’s first-ever female governor.
Above all else, the stark policy differences between the gubernatorial candidates—and those farther down the ballot—serve as a reminder of November’s importance. In some capacity, this election will shape the future of Virginia—the financial burden on families, the quality of education for posterity, and the state of an economy hit by federal job cuts. Virginia, like the broader nation, is predicated upon a centuries-long tradition of democracy and making our voices heard. Make your voice heard on or before Election Day on Nov. 4.
