Virginia Governor Race Tightens Ahead of Election

Recent polling indicates that Virginia’s gubernatorial race has become more competitive as Election Day approaches.

As per a survey by Roanoke College, GOP nominee Earle-Sears is trailing former Democrat Abigail Spanberger by seven percentage points. This poll was released on Tuesday, following a prior examination in May where Spanberger was ahead by a significant 17 points.

“The race appears to be tightening, though Spanberger still holds the lead,” said Dr. Harry Wilson, the interim director of the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research. He noted that it seems many Republican voters have returned to support Earle-Sears since the last poll, but Spanberger’s supporters seem more eager to get to the polls.

Though Spanberger has consistently shown a lead over Earle-Sears in recent months, Republican candidates are making strides as they gear up for the election in November.

Earle-Sears’ campaign has been critical of Spanberger, particularly regarding her stance on transgender issues and sanctuary city policies, while also highlighting her alignment with former President Joe Biden’s agenda. In one ad, Earle-Sears claimed, “That beltway nonsense just takes us behind us.”

Meanwhile, Spanberger’s campaign has ramped up its negative advertising, targeting Earle-Sears for his connection to former President Donald Trump’s administration.

Moreover, a left-leaning organization supporting veterans announced a $500,000 ad campaign to bolster Spanberger’s visibility. Notably, while Earle-Sears is a veteran of the Marine Corps, Spanberger is a former CIA officer who does not have military experience.

Some encouraging signs for Earle-Sears’ campaign appeared in the polling as well, with 52% of Virginia voters believing the state is “going in the right direction,” up from 45% earlier this year. Additionally, half of the surveyed voters approved of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s performance, although he cannot run again due to term limits.

In terms of favorability ratings, Spanberger outperforms Earle-Sears, with 44% of voters viewing her positively compared to just 36% for Earle-Sears.

A survey conducted between August 11 and August 15 included 702 Virginia residents and has a margin of error of approximately 4.3%. Interestingly, only 14% of voters expressed uncertainty about their choice of candidate, with a solid 76% indicating strong confidence in their decisions.