Virginia GOP Candidate Focuses on Transgender Policies Despite Voters' Top Concern: Affordability
Virginia's Republican gubernatorial candidate, Winsome Earle-Sears, is focusing her campaign on transgender policies, despite polls showing voters' top concerns are affordability and cost of living.
Earle-Sears is campaigning outside school board meetings to highlight her stance on transgender students' bathroom use and sports participation. She has made this a central theme, even as polls indicate that only 33% of voters consider it extremely or very important.
Earle-Sears' campaign has spent over $2 million on ads focused on transgender policy, more than any other topic. She is airing ads during college and pro football games, mirroring President Trump's 2020 strategy. The ads characterize Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger as 'being for they/them', echoing messaging used against Kamala Harris.
Earle-Sears will address the Virginia Trucking Association and the conservative group Moms for Liberty on Friday. However, she declined to attend the trucking association's convention event in Roanoke, despite being in the city.
Earle-Sears' focus on transgender policies aims to draw contrast with Spanberger and appeal to specific voter groups. However, political analysts like Virginia State Sen. Danica Roem and Democratic strategist Rodell Mollineau question this strategy's effectiveness in Virginia, given voters' primary concerns about affordability and federal government uncertainty.
