Leaders for both major parties are stressing the importance of statewide elections in Virginia Tuesday. Both the Democratic and Republican national committees elected new chairs this year, and both have their attention on the Old Dominion.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin pointed to the ongoing federal shutdown as he campaigned for former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger for Governor.
“When you steal food away from starving children, is that moral?” Martin posted in a video on X. “When you basically tell seniors that they’re not going to have a nursing home and you’re kicking them out to find a place to live, is that moral? And when you tell the disabled community, who are going to see the most disproportionate impact from being kicked off Medicaid that they no longer have health insurance and you have to go into the streets now because you’re disabled? These are the stakes. Make no mistake about it.”
He added in a post: “This is why elections matter. Virginia, the stakes couldn’t be higher to get out and vote for Democrats tomorrow.”
Democrats hope to flip the Governor’s mansion, where Republican Glenn Youngkin is finishing his term. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is running to succeed Youngkin and keep Republican control, and Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters has worked to make that happen.
Gruters issued a statement supporting Earle-Sears and the entire slate of GOP candidates running statewide. He tied Spanberger to Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate for Attorney General who didn’t step aside after violent texts he sent about a political rival leaked to the press. Spanberger condemned the texts, sent in 2022 romanticizing shooting then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, but like other Democrats stopped short of calling for Jones to withdraw from the race.
“We need every Republican to get out and vote for Winsome Earle-Sears for Governor, John Reid for Lieutenant Governor, and Jason Miyares for Attorney General,” Gruters said.
“Abigail Spanberger has shown she will always side with the far left over Virginia families. She’s refused to distance herself from murder-fantasizing Jay Jones and her agenda puts criminals before communities. Virginians deserve better.”
Polls close at 7 p.m. today in Virginia.
