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Virginia gubernatorial candidates spar at first debate
Virginia gubernatorial candidates Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger faced off for their first and only planned debate Thursday night. The debate became heated at times, with both candidates taking some jabs at their opponent.
NORFOLK, Va. - Virginia gubernatorial candidates Winsome Earle-Sears and Abigail Spanberger faced off for their first and only planned debate Thursday night.
It was hosted at Norfolk State University and was moderated by Deanna Allbrittin and WAVY anchor Tom Schaad.
The debate became heated at times, with both candidates taking some jabs, but it was Republican candidate Earle-Sears who had to be asked multiple times to allow her opponent to speak. She repeatedly spoke over Spanberger, requiring the moderators to stop her.
Per debate rules, each candidate was supposed to have 60 seconds to respond to questions and 30 seconds for rebuttals.
Opening remarks:
The debate opened with questions about the car tax in Virginia, something many residents have long complained about.
Spanberger said she is seeking to eliminate the tax.
"The car tax is the most-hated tax in the Commonwealth of Virginia and that has been the case for many, many years," Spanberger said. "It requires significant planning and cooperation, but I have a history of getting rid of hated taxes during my time in Congress."
Dig deeper:
A major point of contention was the attorney general candidate, Jay Jones.
The National Review published texts allegedly sent by Jones in 2022 to a Republican lawmaker about former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
In one message, Jones wrote: "Three people two bullets ... Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot ... Gilbert gets two bullets to the head."
"My opponent needs to answer about Jay Jones," Earle-Sears said.
Questions on rhetoric:
Moderators then shifted to questions about the current rhetoric in the political field right now and the deep divisions between parties.
"I'm not your enemy, you are not my enemy. We are political opponents," Spanberger said. "I denounce political violence."
Earle-Sears continued to take aim at the fact that Spanberger would not confirm or deny a continued endorsement of Jones though.
"She has no courage," Earle-Sears said.
Government shutdown:
Moderators also asked questions about the government shutdown.
Specifically directed toward Earle-Sears, who has largely aligned with all of President Donald Trump's policies, and the shown support for the GOP's continuing resolution, moderators asked, "would you ask the president to use his power to work with Democrats to reopen the government?"
She stated that Spanberger and Virginia's Democratic senators are the ones causing the hold up.
"My opponent all summer long has been playing political football trying to say that she loves them more than anyone else. If you want to see what love looks like, it looks like Abigail calling Sens. Kaine and Warner and telling them, ‘Go back, do your job and vote against a government shutdown.’ We only need eight — eight Democratic senators — and we cannot find eight. And yet, we can find two in Virginia. When are you going to publicly say to Sens. Kaine and Warner, ‘do your job, keep federal workers working. That’s how you stop the federal shutdown."
"Show love, keep them in their jobs," Earle-Sears.