(The Center Square) – With just days remaining before Virginia’s ballot petition deadline, gubernatorial candidates are racing to meet the state’s signature requirements.
Democrat Abigail Spanberger has already submitted over 40,000 signatures, four times the required amount. Her campaign said more than 1,300 volunteers helped gather the required signatures across 11 districts.
Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also cleared the amount needed early, turning in nearly 19,000 signatures on the first day of eligibility.
In recent social media posts, Earle-Sears has labeled Spanberger’s “DEI-ridden” campaign, accusing the candidate of prioritizing “checking boxes and appeasing DC elites” rather than delivering for Virginians.
Her post also included a screenshot of a campaign job listing for Spanberger’s campaign and highlights a commitment to “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Spanberger pushed back at Earle-Sears, saying her opponent “thinks thousands of Virginians being fired from their jobs isn’t a big deal,” referring to remarks made by the Lt. governor during a media appearance. “That’s not leadership,” said Spanberger on social media, which included a clip of Earle-Sears discussing layoffs.
Meanwhile, the GOP contenders Amanda Chase and Dave LaRock are still collecting.
LaRock, who is still working to qualify, has also criticized Earle-Sears. In a video post, LaRock questions her absence from efforts to support his 2023 “Sage’s Law” bill, which would have required schools to notify parents about a student’s gender identity changes. “What we’re seeing isn’t leadership,” he said. “It’s the kind of gamesmanship Virginians are tired of.”
All three Republican contenders, Sears, Chase and LaRock, appeared Wednesday at the March for Life rally in Richmond, where thousands gathered to oppose abortion access. Earle-Sears was the keynote speaker. Chase’s campaign collected new signatures at the event.
In a recent post, LaRock claimed Earle-Sears previously accepted $176,000 in contributions from Dominion Energy, tying her to what he described as an effort by the energy company to raise rates.
“They tried to buy me too. I gave it back,” LaRock wrote. “We need leaders who serve people, not power companies.”
Dominion Energy is one of Virginia’s largest political donors, contributing more than $32 million across both parties in recent years, according to The Virginia Public Access Project.
Under Virginia law, gubernatorial candidates need to submit 10,000 valid signatures, including 400 from each district, by Thursday, April 3 at 5 p.m. The State Board of Elections will release the final certified list of primary candidates the week of April 14.
