The VA Governor's Race Is Becoming A Referendum On 'Trans' Policy Demands

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears embraces 'culture war' while Abigail Spanberger retreats

Political races usually do not heat up until after the summer season peaks. Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears was trailing far behind Abigail Spanberger in the Virginia governor’s race until last week, when a surprise poll showed the gap had narrowed from 17 points to just 7. This has been interpreted as Trump voters coming home to Earle-Sears. The race has turned red-hot.

With uncanny timing, the ultra-liberal Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) system provided yet another gubernatorial election-year ‘culture war’ controversy over ‘trans inclusion’ last week. Whereas the dispute over district restrooms policy created conditions for the unexpected victory of Republican Glenn Youngkin in the 2021 governor’s race, this time ‘inclusive’ locker rooms are the subject of debate.

Earle-Sears has embraced the fight for single-sex spaces in public schools. Her communications team are making the absolute most of the issue to hammer home a clear and unambiguous stance. Agree or disagree, voters prefer strength. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, on the other hand, is earnestly avoiding the issue, projecting weakness, which voters despise.

State-level polling is not as frequent as national opinion surveys, but we should expect to see measurable results soon, if there are any. For like Donald Trump, Earle-Sears has figured out how to use this wedge issue against Democrats. It works because it either makes them act insane, repelling voters, or else causes them to turn tail like Spanberger, and run away from voters.