As Virginia’s race for governor barrels toward its November finish, the campaign has been swept up in a fierce debate over transgender rights, echoing a nationwide culture war that’s become a defining feature of American politics. With the contest between Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger tightening, both sides are doubling down on their messaging—none more so than Republicans, who have made anti-transgender attacks central to their strategy.
According to NBC News, Earle-Sears and her allies have zeroed in on Spanberger’s record, especially her votes and public statements regarding transgender participation in youth sports and the use of school locker rooms and public bathrooms. The Republican campaign recently unleashed a barrage of digital and TV ads, accusing Spanberger of supporting policies that would allow “men in girls’ sports, bathrooms and locker rooms” and suggesting she would keep parents in the dark if their children identify as transgender at school.
The first of these allegations harks back to Spanberger’s February 2021 vote for the Equality Act—a House bill that aimed to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected traits under federal civil rights laws. While the Democratic-controlled House passed the bill, it ultimately stalled in the Senate. The second claim references a September 2022 post from Spanberger on X (formerly Twitter), where she sharply criticized a plan by Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. Spanberger argued that the proposal would "out kids, require their identities not be respected, and hurt them in the very places where they are supposed to learn and thrive."
In one of Earle-Sears’ TV ads, a narrator declares, “That’s insane. Spanberger is for they/them, not us,” echoing rhetoric used by Donald Trump in his 2024 campaign against Kamala Harris. Another TV spot insists that Spanberger "wants boys to play sports and share locker rooms with little girls" and "will let children change genders without telling their parents." The message is clear: the GOP is betting that highlighting these issues will energize their conservative base and paint Democrats as out of touch with mainstream Virginians.
Spanberger, for her part, had largely sidestepped the issue during the campaign—until recently. This week, she responded with a forceful TV ad of her own. Looking directly into the camera, Spanberger says, “Nothing matters more to me than the safety of all our kids, and as a law enforcement officer, I went after child predators. So it really angers me to hear these lies about who I am. I believe we need to get politics out of our schools and trust parents and local communities.”
Her campaign spokesperson, Connor Joseph, doubled down on this message in a statement to NBC News: "As a mom of three daughters in Virginia public schools, a former federal law enforcement officer, and a candidate for Governor, Abigail’s priority is making sure that all of Virginia’s kids are safe." Joseph added, "As a federal law enforcement officer, Abigail investigated child predators, arrested drug dealers, and worked side by side with police departments to keep Virginians safe — and just last month, Virginia’s largest police union endorsed her for Governor," referencing the Virginia Police Benevolent Association’s endorsement in August 2025.
But Earle-Sears’ campaign shows no sign of letting up. Spokesperson Peyton Vogel said, “Abigail Spanberger can’t run from her record. In Virginia, her radical agenda has resulted in child predators entering girls’ bathrooms and students feeling unsafe. No amount of ad money can erase those facts.”
This battle over transgender rights isn’t confined to TV ads. The Republican National Committee has amplified the issue through posts on X, accusing Spanberger of failing to take a clear stance on transgender participation in sports and bathroom access. Local headlines have also kept the issue front and center, with Arlington and Fairfax counties—both suburbs of Washington, D.C.—suing Trump’s Education Department after it threatened to withhold funding from school districts that allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.
The controversy boiled over at a protest outside an Arlington County school board meeting last month. There, a demonstrator held up a sign reading, “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then Blacks can’t share my water fountain.” Earle-Sears attended the meeting, and an image of the sign appeared in one of her campaign’s ads. Spanberger quickly denounced the sign as “racist” and “abhorrent.”
Meanwhile, in Loudon County, two students were suspended for expressing discomfort with the locker room policies related to transgender students—a story that’s been widely circulated in conservative media circles. Earle-Sears’ campaign has indicated that it will continue to hammer home these issues right up until Election Day.
Republican strategists believe this focus on transgender issues is a winning formula. Justin Discigil, a Virginia GOP operative now working for Governor Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC, told NBC News, “I think it’s incredibly potent. This is an 80/20 issue. And the fact that the ‘moderate standard-bearer’ of the Democratic Party cannot squarely put herself on the 80% side is dumbfounding.” He added, “This is perhaps the most commonsense issue in American politics today, and voters inherently get it without much explaining.” Zack Roday, another Virginia-based Republican strategist, said he found it “very surprising” that Spanberger hadn’t yet found a solid message for questions on the issue.
Democrats, however, see the Republican attacks as an attempt to distract from bread-and-butter concerns like affordability and health care. Maggie Amjad, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Virginia, argued, “Winsome Earle-Sears can’t defend her extreme record. From voting against the right to contraception to dismissing Trump’s threat to Virginia’s economy and Virginians’ healthcare, it’s clear Sears won’t put Virginians first. The Commonwealth deserves a Governor whose number-one priority is Virginia working families, not loyalty to Donald Trump.”
Some Democrats also point to Earle-Sears’ own record. As a former member of the Virginia Board of Education, she did not take action to alter the body’s position on gender identity and bathroom use. During her tenure, a Virginia school district became the center of controversy after a transgender student was allowed to use a restroom that did not match their biological sex.
Nationally, Democrats remain divided on how to handle transgender issues, especially after Trump’s victory in 2024. California Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a potential presidential contender, stirred debate earlier this year when he said it’s “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports—a stance that breaks with many in his party.
Despite the noise, it’s unclear how much weight these issues carry with Virginia voters. Recent polling shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears, but within the margin of error, and none of the surveys have asked specifically about transgender rights. What is clear is that Spanberger has maintained a robust advantage in campaign spending, outspending Earle-Sears on ads nearly two to one since the start of the year, according to AdImpact.
With just weeks left before Virginians cast their ballots, both campaigns are betting that their messaging will resonate. But in a race marked by fierce rhetoric and high stakes, the outcome may hinge not just on policy, but on which side can more effectively channel the anxieties and hopes of an electorate caught in the crosscurrents of a culture war that shows no sign of abating.
