Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ gubernatorial campaign rolled out a new ad Wednesday morning.
The release of the ad, titled, “Always,” is the second video the Earle-Sears campaign has put out highlighting the lieutenant governor’s background, including her service in the Marines, working class roots and status as a first-generation American. The Earle-Sears campaign is putting $1 million behind the 30-second video, which spotlights her work with Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin to lower taxes and improve education. (RELATED: GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Comes Out Swinging Against ‘Washington Chatter’)
“I’m no typical politician,” Earle-Sears says in the ad. “I’m a first generation American, joined the Marines, graduated college as a working mom, raised a family, became a grandma, 1st woman elected lieutenant governor.”
Youngkin, who is barred from running for a second consecutive term due to Virginia state law, endorsed Earle-Sears’ candidacy in November. The race between Earle-Sears and her Democratic opponent, former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, is one of the most-watched contests of 2025 and is likely to be seen as an early indicator of the two parties’ performances in the 2026 midterms.
A poll commissioned by Virginia FREE, a business advocacy organization, published Thursday found that Earle-Sears is trailing Spanberger just outside the margin of error — 48% to 52%. Another poll also released Thursday showed Spanberger with a significantly larger lead of 17 percentage points.
Though Spanberger is not mentioned by name in the ad, Earle-Sears makes a veiled critique of her Democratic opponent’s ties to Washington.
“If you want another typical politician, look to Washington,” Earle-Sears says in the ad. “But if you want a United States Marine who will always fight for Virginia, I’d be honored to have your vote.”
Spanberger served three terms in Congress beginning in 2019, before launching her gubernatorial bid.
Winsome-Sears has recently gone on the offensive in criticizing her opponent’s left-wing voting record.
The former Democratic congresswoman voted against legislation that would have barred biological males from girls and women’s sports and a bill seeking to crack down on illegal immigration, known as the Laken Riley Act, which President Trump signed into law in January with bipartisan support.
“She [Spanberger] has voted against building the wall,” Earle-Sears told Fox News in February. “She has voted for amnesty, for criminal illegals, she has voted against qualified immunity to — so that the morale of our law enforcement will stay up and their personal possessions won’t be subject to being taken from them because they are doing their job keeping us safe.”
Earle-Sears has also sought to put Spanberger in the hot seat over her shifting views on Virginia’s right-to-work law, which prohibits mandatory union membership and compulsory payment of union dues as conditions of employment. Spanberger has supported legislation in Congress that would have effectively banned state right-to-work laws.
Virginia attracts job-creating businesses by having a right-to-work law. Studies have found that half of all businesses won’t even look at non-right-to-work states when they plan on expanding or relocating across state lines.
Supporters of right-to-work laws say that they result in higher incomes after adjusting for cost of living. An article in a Virginia newspaper said “there is a strong correlation between right to work and higher real personal income. In fact, the average right to work state’s cost of living-adjusted, after-tax income per household was roughly $4,500 higher than households in states that permit forced unionism.”
Earle-Sears has challenged Spanberger to sign a pledge to preserve the commonwealth’s right-to-work law.
Though Spanberger could have several advantages heading into November, including an edge in fundraising and significant Democratic voter enthusiasm, Earle-Sears has fiercely pushed back on reports suggesting a Democratic victory in November is a predetermined outcome.
“I am focused on what matters: making Virginians’ lives better,” Earle-Sears told the DCNF on May 21. “Washington chatter won’t distract me from that.”
