As polls show the race tightening, Gubernatorial hopefuls Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears finally set debate for October 9 at Norfolk State University.
For months it looked like a debate may not happen. The campaigns couldn’t agree on forums or timing, but now both sides confirm that they will participate in the WAVY-TV debate. Attorney General Jason Miyares and his opponent Jay Jones have agreed to the Virginia State Bar debate in Richmond October 16. There is still no debate set for the Lt. Governor’s race.
Spanberger refused to participate in nationally televised debate on CNN while Earle-Sears declined the AARP debate invitation.
Debates have played a particularly important role in recent elections. President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance last year eventually resulted in his withdrawal from the race while Terry McAuliffe’s 2021 comments demeaning parents shifted momentum toward Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
“I also think perhaps Spanberger was a bit concerned that a national interviewer would keep trying to put the race in a national partisan context,” said Virginia Tech professor of political science Karen Hult. (RELATED: Pollsters Hype Spanberger, But Data Shows Tighter Race)
“I think she didn’t want to be put in the position of having to contrast herself over and over again with, for example, AOC or some of the other really visible national Democrats that might be brought up in a national debate-sponsored kind of setting.”
Hunt also noted that momentum for Earle-Sears appears to be building, including a unified Republican Party and an uptick in Glenn Youngkin’s popularity. This helps explain the Lt. Governor’s strategy and timing for the debate.
“One thing that they both are gonna have to do is really pay attention to what the issues are that voters seem to want to hear more about,” Hunt told 8News in a separate interview. “And that as always, in a gubernatorial race, is going to be the Virginia economy,”
“For years, Spanberger has hidden behind vague Washington rhetoric and dodged tough questions,” Earle-Sears said. “Now, her record will be front and center. I’m prepared to deliver for Virginia, building on the proven results of my administration — the real question is: how will Abigail Spanberger defend her disastrous record to Virginians?”
“Abigail Spanberger is the only candidate with a gameplan for lowering costs for Virginia families, strengthening Virginia’s public schools, and standing up for Virginia’s economy in this moment of chaos and uncertainty,” said Spanberger campaign manager Samson Signori.
Debates are proving tricky for both parties this election. Democrat candidates have tended to poll better personally while Republican policies poll better on the issues most important to voters such as immigration and the economy.
Latest polling from Roanoke College shows Spanberger’s lead has shrunk significantly. Significantly, Spanberger has dropped below 50% with only 46% of respondents saying they were likely to vote for her. Fourteen percent of likely voters said they remain undecided in the race.
Down-ticket races are also tightening with Democrat candidates for Lt. Governor and Attorney General now only polling three points ahead of their Republican counterparts. A majority of Virginians still say the Commonwealth is headed in the right direction and Governor Youngkin’s approval rating has rebounded since May polling.
Concerned Democrats quickly moved to discredit the latest poll results.