Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger’s campaign rolled out a six-figure ad buy on Monday hitting her opponent Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) over education and health care.
The ad, which was first seen by The Hill, specifically criticizes Earle-Sears over her support of President Trump’s mega tax and spending bill passed this summer, which critics note would result in cuts to Medicaid. Republicans and supporters of the legislation argue it provides a significant tax cut to Americans.
Additionally, the 30-second spot hits Earle-Sears over her support of conservative school choice legislation that called for parents making 300 percent under the poverty line access to funds that going toward a private educational program or toward the purchase of homeschooling materials instead of going toward a student’s public school. The ad also invokes legislation supported by Earle-Sears that would have created a tax credit toward homeschooling or sending children to a private school for families making 200 percent under the poverty line.
“In this room, Winsome Earle-Sears is so wrong for Virginia,” two women in a classroom and doctor’s office say in the ad.
The spot is Spanberger’s first ad since early voting kicked off in Virginia last week. Polls show Spanberger holding a comfortable lead over Earle-Sears. The Decision Desk HQ poling average shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears by 9.4 points. Additionally, the Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball have both moved the race from “lean Democratic” to “likely Democratic.”
Spanberger and Earle-Sears are slated to go head-to-head on the debate stage at Norfolk State University next month in a debate hosted by The Hill’s sister station WAVY-TV 10.
