Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears is out with a new campaign ad targeting her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, focusing on culture war issues and accusing the former Congresswoman of supporting radical and violent rhetoric.
The advertisement, which is just over one minute long, flicks through a series of pictures of individuals who have been accused of committing violent acts in the name of politics.
This includes the accused shooter of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson; Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shot at President Donald Trump during a Butler, Pennsylvania rally in 2024; and Luigi Mangione, who faces charges for gunning down UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan that same year.
The ad switches to a clip of Spanberger standing on stage in front of a crowd. “Let your rage fuel you,” she says before other clips are shown of Spanberger repeating the same sentiment in other venues.
The ad further accuses Democrats of using violent rhetoric to inspire people to label individuals with opposing viewpoints as “nazis” and “fascists” to justify carrying out violent acts against them.
Earle-Sears can then be seen calling Spanberger “reckless” and “radical.”
“When the Left calls for rage, everything burns and people get hurt,” Earle-Sears wrote on X alongside the ad. “But Virginia is for lovers—not rage. Vote to keep it that way.”
The current Lieutenant Governor also took aim at the media outlet The Hill and what she called the “liberal media,” who reported that her campaign focuses on cultural issues rather than some of the problems Virginians most care about — such as the cost of living.
“There are literally child predators exploiting bathroom policies to prey on and expose themselves to young girls,” Earle-Sears wrote on X, referring to Spanberger’s support for transgender rights. “And the liberal media’s headline? ‘Winsome Earle-Sears’s focus on culture issues risks backfiring.’”
In a recent statement, Spanberger campaign Communications Director Connor Joseph said the high cost of living is a top concern for Virginians, further noting Earle-Sears is “cheering on” policies from the Trump administration that are putting additional strain on Virginians.
“While Abigail is focusing every day on the decisive steps her administration will take to make sure every Virginia family can find housing that fits their needs and budget, Winsome Earle-Sears is cheering on President Trump’s disastrous policies that are causing costs to skyrocket,” Joseph said.
Spanberger also blamed the Trump administration in a recent op-ed for job stagnation in Virginia, which she claims is caused by federal workforce cuts implemented by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which disproportionately affected Virginia’s workforce.
Approximately 54% said the high cost to rent or buy a home was a major issue, while 60% said local governments’ efforts to keep housing affordable were “poor” or “very poor,’ according to recent polling from YouGov.
A report from Virginia Commonwealth University also shows the top issue for Virginia voters is cost of living, with approximately 28% of registered voters identifying the rising cost of living as their biggest issue, followed by women’s reproductive rights at 13%, and immigration and education at 12%.
