The sole debate between Virginia gubernatorial candidates, Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA), quickly devolved into disagreements and personal barbs over the brewing scandal surrounding Democrat Jay Jones.
Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, previously sent violent text messages suggesting he would put two bullets into former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
The revelation has roiled the Virginia race, with Republicans, including President Donald Trump, calling for Jones to exit the race. Earle-Sears, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have all released ads attacking Democrats over the Jones scandal.
Democrats have condemned the messages but stopped short of calling for Jones to exit the race. Earle-Sears lambasted Spanberger over her silence on whether Jones should end his campaign.
In her response to the first question of the debate about the commonwealth’s car tax, Earle-Sears quickly sought to make the debate about Jones and continued to attack in the one-hour discussion.
“I’m wondering why my opponent won’t say beyond its abhorrent and disgusting … that he must leave the race because Jay Jones advocated the murder, Abigail, the murder of a man, a former speaker, as well as his children, who were two years two- and five-years old,” Earle-Sears said during the Thursday night debate.
“I was born in Jamaica, and when I was 10 years old, I saw that kind of political violence, which is why I’m asking my opponent to please ask him to get out of the race. Have some political courage,” she added.
As the lieutenant governor grilled Spanberger, she remained silent, refusing to answer her questions about Jones’s role on the Democratic ticket.
“You have little girls. What would it take – him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it? And then you would say, he needs to get out of the race. Abigail, you have nothing to say? Abigail?” Earle-Sears taunted her.
Spanberger stood facing forward and didn’t engage each time Earle-Sears turned to her to ask questions.
Spanberger told the audience at Norfolk State University that she abhors Jones’s messages, but she repeatedly dodged questions about whether he should remain on the ticket.
“The comments that Jay Jones made are absolutely abhorrent. I denounce them when I learned of them, and I will denounce them every opportunity I get,” Spanberger said at first. “As a mother, as a public servant, as a candidate for governor, I denounce them.”
She then attacked Earle-Sears for having selective outrage on political violence at the expense of Democrats.
“My opponent, unfortunately, only denounces violence when her side is the target,” said Spanberger.
“Don’t lie like that, Abigail,” Earle-Sears interjected.
“I hope that in the future, she will endeavor to denounce violent rhetoric and violence, no matter who the victim,” Spanberger continued. “You routinely refer to me as your enemy. I’m not your enemy. You are not my enemy. We are political opponents.”
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate was again asked about the future of Jones’s campaign, where she dodged the question.
“We are all running our individual races. I believe my opponent has said that about her lieutenant governor nominee,” Spanberger said as Earle-Sears interrupted her. “And it is up to every person to make their own decision. I am running my race to serve Virginia, and that is what I intend to do.”
“I’m saying as of now, it’s up to every voter to make their own individual decision. I am running for governor. I am accountable for the words that I say, for the acts that I take, for the policies that I have put out,” she added when asked again.
SPANBERGER TRIES TO REDIRECT ATTENTION AS REPUBLICANS POUNCE ON MOMENTUM AFTER JONES’S TEXTS
Throughout the debate, Earle-Sears was on offense, interrupting Spanberger’s responses and pivoting her answers repeatedly to questions for her opponent. Moderators dinged her multiple times for talking over her Spanberger.
Earle-Sears said Spanberger’s refusal to pull her endorsement of Jones is a sign of poor leadership.
“You have to make hard choices, and that means telling Jay Jones to leave the race,” Earle-Sears said.
“Abigail needs to say something,” she repeated.
Early voting has already begun in Virginia and ends Nov. 1 before Election Day on Nov. 4. The Jones scandal broke last week after early voting had started on Sept. 20.
Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.
, 2025-10-10 00:35:00, 
, Washington Examiner, %%https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon.png?w=32, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mabinty Quarshie
