Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is the lone Republican candidate for the state’s upcoming gubernatorial race in November, might be getting a boost from President Donald Trump, with a possible endorsement.
While speaking with reporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Trump was asked if he planned to back Earle-Sears.
“Yeah, I would. I would,” Trump said. “I think she probably has a tough race. She shouldn’t have. The candidate she’s running against is not very good, but I think she’s got a tough race, but I would, yeah.”
An endorsement from Trump would be good news for Earle-Sears, who is lagging in polls far behind Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger. She’s also trailing significantly in fundraising, drawing concern from within her own party.
The most recent polling from Virginia Commonwealth University earlier this month showed Spanberger leading with 49% support to just 37% for Earle-Sears, a 12-point lead that will be difficult to overcome. It’s also a downslide from December, when the same pollster found Earle-Sears 10 points back.
Another poll from Roanoke College in late May was even worse for Earle-Sears, with a 43% to 26% lead for Spanberger.
Earle-Sears ended the most recent fundraising period with just $4.5 million on hand, while Spanberger retained more than $15 million.
It’s worth noting that Trump said he “would” endorse Earle-Sears, not that he had already. That could be the result of her past comments. In 2022, Earle-Sears said during an interview with Fox Business host Neil Cavuto that she “could not support” Trump.
“The voters have spoken, and they’ve said they want a different leader,” Earle-Sears said at the time. “A true leader understands when they have become a liability. A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage, and the voters have given us that very clear message.”
During an interview with CNN last week, Earle-Sears dodged questions about her past comments and said she had voted for Trump in all three presidential elections.
“So, here’s the thing: who was I going to vote for? I’m going to vote for somebody who understands how everything works,” Earle-Sears said. “I’m talking about who has brought us economic prosperity in the past. I’m talking about someone who understands how business works. Who understands that the rogue nations of the world have to be told that we’re not going to let them fool around with America.”
However, Spanberger’s campaign spokesperson Libby Wiet responded to the possibility of a Trump endorsement of Earle-Sears in an email to The Center Square.
“While Winsome Earle-Sears is spending her time defending Trump’s reckless assault on Virginia jobs, price-raising tariffs, and senseless attacks on Medicaid, Abigail Spanberger will continue rolling out plans focused on lowering costs for Virginia families, protecting Virginia’s economy, and strengthening Virginia’s public schools.”
And Spanberger herself weighed in on social media, arguing similarly that Earle-Sears “seems to be working so hard to get Trump’s endorsement that the media is even asking him about it.”
“She seems to be working harder to earn that endorsement than she is standing up for Virginia’s families or laying out plans to lower costs and strengthen our economy,” Spanberger wrote on both Facebook and X. “My vision for Virginia remains clear — to strengthen our public schools, make life more affordable, and keep our communities safe. Most importantly, I’m ready to get things done and put Virginians — not Donald Trump — first.”
