Democrats and Republicans are ramping up their attacks on each other ahead of November’s statewide elections. Democrats are trying to tie their opponents to President Donald Trump, and Republicans are using policies that their opponents have either pushed or opposed in recent years against them.
The day after Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, the Democratic Party of Virginia went on the offensive against Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Sears by trying to tie her to the president, who lost Virginia by six points last year.
“Virginians deserve a governor who will protect the commonwealth when it’s threatened, and Sears has again proved to Virginians she won’t do that job,” said DPVA Spokesperson Maggie Amjad.
Democrats said that in standing with Trump, Sears is hurting Virginians by not standing up for federal workers who are being laid off.
“Whether she’s doubling down on her support for Trump or offering broken links as a resource, Sears has made it clear she doesn’t care about standing up for Virginia’s workforce and economy,” Amjad continued.
While Democrats are trying to tie her to Trump and use it against her candidacy, Sears is embracing the president.
“I stand proudly with President Trump in the fight to restore commonsense,” she said Wednesday.
The Sears campaign released a video Wednesday afternoon attacking Democrats for legislation they have been pushing at the state level.
The ad, titled Parade of Horribles, points to Democratic legislation in recent years that she considers extreme. Physician-assisted suicide, blocking tax cuts and banning gas-powered leaf blowers are some of the examples she used.
“For too long, Democrats have prioritized extreme liberal policies over the real needs of Virginians,” Sears said in a statement Wednesday. “They have blocked tax relief, championed radical agendas, and turned their backs on hardworking families.”
Sears will likely be the Republican nominee in November – though she is facing two new Republican challengers in a primary, former state Sen. Amanda Chase and former Del. Dave LaRock, if they can reach the signature threshold by April 3 to make the ballot.
“Winsome Earle-Sears is trying to distract Virginians from her flailing campaign, chaotic primary with Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase, and her unwavering support for killing thousands of Virginia jobs,” Amjad said in response to the video.
The Sears campaign did not provide any additional comment in response to the Democratic attacks when asked by Virginia Scope.
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the only Democrat seeking the gubernatorial nomination, declined to comment for this story.
In the race to elect Sears’ replacement in the lieutenant governor’s office, Democrats came out swinging at the Republican candidates on Wednesday by also linking them to Trump.
“Pat Herrity and John Reid are wholeheartedly supporting Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce, proving they do not care about Virginians who lose their jobs or the damage to Virginia’s economy,” said DPVA Communications Director Kelsey Carolan.
Carolan linked to Herritty’s comments in February, which were first reported by Fairfax Now, where he said: “The federal government, much like the Fairfax County government, has been pursuing agendas beyond its scope and created bureaucracies that do not serve our citizens well.”
“As a CFO and COO, I have had to do the very difficult work of reductions, restructurings and reorganizations for efficiencies and cost reduction,” Herrity continued. “It is not easy or pleasant work but it can be done with respect of people’s service.”
The Herrity campaign did not provide a comment to respond directly to Carolan but instead pointed Virginia Scope to a statement Herrity made on February 10 in his newsletter.
“Fairfax County has one of the highest concentrations of government employees and government contractor employees in the country,” he wrote. “They are people and should be treated as such. In many cases they are our neighbors and friends and have spouses and families that depend on them. In any changes at the federal level, or otherwise, they deserve to be treated with respect and gratitude for their service.”
Herrity followed up that statement in his newsletter and said he supports the cuts to the federal workforce.
“I fully agree with the need to reduce the size and scope of the federal government,” he wrote.
Carolan also attacked another Republican lieutenant governor candidate, John Reid.
She pointed to statements from Reid that he wrote on Facebook in February.
“Poor Democrats- we are 36 Trillion Dollars in debt and they still don’t know how to balance a budget,” Reid wrote. “You can’t tax your way to prosperity and sadly now it’s so bad we can’t grow our way out of this either. You HAVE to make cuts. It’s bad and it’s gonna hurt but it has to be done.”
“Maybe rather than complain and attack, Democrats could try to be a rational part of the solution. Since- let’s be honest- they created the problem with unending welfare spending,” he continued.
Reid accused the Democrats of lying about what he said Wednesday night.
“As usual Democrats lie about me and what I say,” he said. “No one is mocking federal workers losing their jobs. Many of us who work in the private sector have already been through job losses while the bureaucrats have been safe and secure.”
Reid also accused the Democrats of not caring about Virginians losing their jobs during Covid-19 when they controlled the General Assembly and Executive Branch.
“Democrats didn’t give a damn about the people who lost their jobs and businesses during Covid,” he said. “Governor Northam acted like a tyrant and enacted aggressive policies that crushed the working people that Democrats always claim to care about. They wouldn’t even agree to pause the gas tax when workers who couldn’t stay home were struggling to make ends meet.”
One of the many Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, commented on the attack from DPVA.
“It’s clear my Republican opponents don’t give a damn about tens of thousands of hardworking Virginians losing their jobs at a moment’s notice,” he wrote on social media.
So far, three Republicans, seven Democrats and one Independent are running for lieutenant governor.
Republicans and Democrats will choose their nominees in a June primary.