Overview

• ABC News reports that Trump has not endorsed Winsome Earle-Sears and previously criticized her on Truth Social, and top national Republicans have largely stayed off her campaign trail.
• Earle-Sears trails Abigail Spanberger in both fundraising and polling, with The Hill citing a recent Post/Schar survey showing Spanberger ahead by 12 points.
• Republican figures including Trump and JD Vance urged Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones to quit after texts with violent language surfaced; Jones apologized on WRIC.
• Earle-Sears called for Jones to drop out and cut an ad featuring screenshots of the texts, while Spanberger condemned the rhetoric but did not ask Jones to withdraw.
• The first gubernatorial debate is set for Thursday at Norfolk State University, with Nexstar stations airing it statewide, as issue priorities diverge by party in recent polling.