AsVirginia's race for governorenters its final stretch, Republicans are turning to a familiar page in theirplaybook: anti-transgender attacks. On the airwaves and social media, GOP Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and her allies have increasingly zeroed in on attacking Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger's stances on transgender people's participation in youth sports and use of school locker rooms and public bathrooms. It marks the resurfacing of a culture war issue that emerged as major flashpoint in the 2024 campaign, most notably when Donald Trump used it as part of his closing message against Kamala Harris. Now, facing a polling and fundraising deficit ahead of this November's election, Virginia Republicans are betting that it remains a politically potent way to paint Democrats as extreme and out of touch, as they try to hang on to control of the governorship in a blue-leaning state. The Earle-Sears campaign released adigital adthis week claiming that Spanberger "voted to allow men in girls' sports, bathrooms and locker rooms" when she was a member of Congress. The ad also alleges, "If a child secretly identifies as transgender at school, [Spanberger] says the parents shouldn't be told." The ad's first allegation cites Spanberger's vote in February 2021 ona House bill — named the Equality Act– that proposed adding "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the traits protected under various pieces of federal civil rights laws. The House, controlled by Democrats at the time, passed the bill, but it stalled in the Senate. The ad's second allegation cites aSeptember 2022 post on X by Spanbergerin which she attacked a plan by Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that she said would "out kids, require their identities not be respected, and hurt them in the very places where they are supposed to learn and thrive." "That's insane," the narrator in Earle-Sears' 30-second ad says. "Spanberger is for they/them, not us," borrowing a line Trump used in hisanti-Harris adslast year. Earle-Sears' campaign launched asecond adthis week on TV claiming that Spanberger "wants boys to play sports and share locker rooms with little girls" and that "Spanberger will let children change genders without telling their parents." Spanberger's campaign had generally avoided addressing the issue head on throughout the race. But on Thursday, she beganrunning a TV ad that more forcefully respondsto the attacks. "Nothing matters more to me than the safety of all our kids, and as a law enforcement officer, I went after child predators," Spanberger says directly to the camera in that ad. "So it really angers me to hear these lies about who I am. I believe we need to get politics out of our schools and trust parents and local communities." In response to questions from NBC News about Republicans' focus on trans issues, Spanberger campaign spokesperson Connor Joseph reiterated many of those same points in a statement. "As a mom of three daughters in Virginia public schools, a former federal law enforcement officer, and a candidate for Governor, Abigail's priority is making sure that all of Virginia's kids are safe," Joseph said in an email to NBC News. "As a federal law enforcement officer, Abigail investigated child predators, arrested drug dealers, and worked side by side with police departments to keep Virginians safe — and just last month, Virginia's largest police union endorsed her for Governor," Joseph continued, referring to the Virginia Police Benevolent Association's support for Spanberger. "Winsome Earle-Sears should stop trying to score political points with the White House and start answering for why she stands with an administration that is driving up costs for Virginia families, killing Virginia jobs, and taking away Virginians' healthcare," Joseph added. Republicans have used anti-trans attacks on the campaign trail to excite their conservative base and portray Democrats as outside the mainstream. The same theme made its way intothe first TV ad released this week by New Jersey Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli,slamming Democrat Mikie Sherrill for caring "more about pronouns and sanctuary cities than" about "solving our problems." The broader issue has so far played a more pronounced role in the Virginia governor's race. The Republican National Committee hasblasted out posts on Xacross severalaccounts allegingthat Spanbergerhasn't takenaclear stance onhow she feels about trans people participating in sports and use of public restrooms. The issue has also played out in recent local headlines. Arlington and Fairfax counties, in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, have sued Trump's Education Department over funding threats it issued against those counties' school districts in response to their policies allowing transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms for the gender they identify with. The lawsuits have become a point of contention in the state, with Earle-Sears and conservative groups pressing Spanberger to take a clear stance on the situation. The tensions over the issueboiled up ata protest last month outside an Arlington County school board meeting in which officials were discussing the policy. Someone held a sign up at that rally that stated, "Hey Winsome, if trans can't share your bathroom, then Blacks can't share my water fountain." Earle-Sears was attending that meeting, and an image of that sign appeared in one of Earle-Sears' latest ads. Spanberger has denounced the sign as "racist" and "abhorrent." In addition, in northern Virginia's Loudon County, twostudents were suspendedafter they expressed discomfort with school policies on locker rooms, a story that has made therounds in the conservative mediaecosphere. Earle-Sears' campaign indicated that it would continue to hammer Spanberger on the topic. "Abigail Spanberger can't run from her record," campaign spokesperson Peyton Vogel said in a statement. "In Virginia, her radical agenda has resulted in child predators entering girls' bathrooms and students feeling unsafe. No amount of ad money can erase those facts." It's difficult to gauge how voters evaluate the importance of trans issues in Virginia's gubernatorial race. Thepollingthat's been conducted in recent months — the latest of which shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears within the margin of error — has not surveyed Virginia voters on that particular issue. Additionally, Spanberger has maintained a robust advantage on the airwaves. She outspent Earle-Sears on ads almost 2 to 1 from Jan 1. through Labor Day, according to AdImpact, and has outspent her by even more over the last two weeks. But Republican strategists argued the strategy will help boost Earle-Sears, saying it could help her follow Youngkin'ssuccessful focuson parental and cultural issues in the Virginia's gubernatorial election four years ago. "I think it's incredibly potent," said Justin Discigil, a Republican operative in Virginia who currently works for Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC. "This is an 80/20 issue. And the fact that the 'moderate standard-bearer' of the Democratic Party cannot squarely put herself on the 80% side is dumbfounding." "This is perhaps the most commonsense issue in American politics today, and voters inherently get it without much explaining," he added. Zack Roday, a Virginia-based Republican strategist who is not working with the Earle-Sears campaign, said that he found it "very surprising" that Spanberger hadn't yet found a solid message for questions on the issue. Nationally, Democrats have been divided on how to handle trans issues in the wake of Trump's 2024 victory. For instance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender,made waves earlier this yearwhen he said it's "deeply unfair" for transgender athletes to compete in women's sports, breaking with some in his party. In Virginia, some Democrats have pointed to the fact that Earle-Sears, as a member of the Virginia Board of Education earlier in her career, did not take any action to alter the body's position on gender identity and bathroom and locker use. During Sears' tenure,a Virginia school district became the center of controversyafter a transgender student was allowed to use a restroom that did not match their biological sex. Democrats also maintain that the Republican strategy amounts to an attempt to distract from Spanberger's focus on affordability and economic issues, as well as on her efforts to tie Earle-Sears to Trump. "Winsome Earle-Sears can't defend her extreme record," Democratic Party of Virginia spokesperson Maggie Amjad said in a statement. "From voting against the right to contraception to dismissing Trump's threat to Virginia's economy and Virginians' healthcare, it's clear Sears won't put Virginians first. The Commonwealth deserves a Governor whose number-one priority is Virginia working families, not loyalty to Donald Trump."
