{"id":2383878,"date":"2024-12-26T22:37:02","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T03:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-virginia-governor-race-could-highlight-growing-democratic-divide-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-12-26T22:37:52","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T03:37:52","slug":"how-virginia-governor-race-could-highlight-growing-democratic-divide-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-virginia-governor-race-could-highlight-growing-democratic-divide-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"How Virginia governor race could highlight growing Democratic divide &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-virginia-governor-race-could-highlight-growing-democratic-divide-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2383878&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the impending <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/richmond-mayor-with-controversial-past-to-run-for-virginia-governor-report\/\" title=\"Richmond Mayor With Controversial Past To Run For Virginia Governor: Report\">2025 gubernatorial race<\/a> in Virginia and the internal \u200bdivisions within the \u200bDemocratic Party as highlighted by the \u2062candidacy of\u2062 Rep. Abigail Spanberger. Initially considered the leading candidate for the democratic nomination, Spanberger is facing challenges due to the party&#8217;s current disarray following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-democrat-party-chairman-resigns-calls-2022-election-cycle-final-nail-in-the-coffin\/\" title=\"Florida Democrat Party Chairman Resigns, Calls 2022 Election Cycle &quot;Final Nail in the Coffin&quot;\">recent electoral losses<\/a> \u2064to the GOP. The \u2063complexities of the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">race reflect broader tensions<\/a> and the shifting dynamics within the Democratic Party as thay navigate these challenges while preparing for a critical election.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">How Virginia governor race could highlight growing Democratic Party divide<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1921709\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3160415\/derrick-anderson-election-ad-virginia-spanberger-district\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Abigail Spanberger<\/a> (D-VA) was viewed as a shoo-in for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Democratic<\/a> nomination in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Virginia&rsquo;s <\/a>2025 gubernatorial race.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>But with her party in disarray following a GOP sweep in the 2024 general election, Spanberger&rsquo;s candidacy is facing more questions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) speaks during a news conference on national security legislation on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mariam Zuhaib)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While Spanberger has faced little competition from within her own party so far, fellow Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is considering throwing himself into the race. He said a few weeks ago that he hadn&rsquo;t &ldquo;ruled it out.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Usually people&nbsp;running statewide take about a three-month leave and I&rsquo;m not ready to do that, but we&rsquo;ll see. I haven&rsquo;t ruled it out,&rdquo; Scott said in an interview with <em>Punchbowl News<\/em>, which also reported that Democrats think Scott may be able to attract voters of color better than Spanberger, which may be critical against likely GOP nominee Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) is ineligible to run.<\/p>\n<p>Earle-Sears wants to attract the same diverse coalition that President-elect Donald Trump did in the 2024 election, and she appears to plan to do so while painting the centrist Spanberger as a radical leftist.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Congresswoman Spanberger desperately wants Virginians to believe she&rsquo;s a bipartisan, moderate Democrat, but her voting record proves otherwise,&rdquo; David Abrams, a senior adviser to Earle-Sears, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2024\/12\/26\/spanberger-virginia-governor-democrats-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told <\/a>the <em>Washington Post<\/em>. &ldquo;She was complicit in enacting the Biden Administration&rsquo;s destructive agenda that left people paying more and getting less, communities suffering from a wave of violent crime, and families ripped apart by an epidemic of fentanyl overdoses &mdash; all that, and more, will be tough to answer for on the campaign trail.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Spanberger has solid support from Democrats in the state&rsquo;s Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t speak for the country but in Virginia, I think we are yearning for her,&rdquo; Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) told the outlet. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s always been about finding middle ground and getting things done.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are gonna be more progressive people that would rather have an AOC-type person here,&rdquo; he added, &ldquo;but I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s where Virginia is.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As things stand, it&rsquo;s likely going to be Spanberger against Earle-Sears in the 2025 race. A September <a href=\"https:\/\/virginiamercury.com\/2024\/09\/25\/spanberger-and-earle-sears-tied-in-first-2025-gubernatorial-poll\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">poll<\/a> showed the two are tied in their pursuit of the governor&rsquo;s mansion.<\/p>\n<p>However, any challenges to Spanberger from further to her left are sure to showcase the Democratic Party&rsquo;s differences in coming to terms with how they lost in November and how they plan to move forward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1921709\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1921709\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virginia governor race may reveal Democratic Party rifts. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) was initially seen as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in Virginia&#8217;s 2025 gubernatorial election. However, following a GOP victory in the 2024 general election, her candidacy is now under scrutiny. While she has faced little internal competition so far, fellow Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is contemplating entering the race, suggesting he could appeal to voters of color more effectively than Spanberger against likely GOP nominee Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.<\/p>\n<p>Earle-Sears aims to build a diverse coalition similar to that of President-elect Donald Trump in 2024 and plans to portray Spanberger as a radical leftist despite her centrist claims. David Abrams, an adviser to Earle-Sears, criticized Spanberger&#8217;s voting record and linked it to various issues facing Virginians.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these challenges, Spanberger maintains strong support among state Democrats who appreciate her moderate approach and focus on bipartisanship. A recent poll indicates that she and Earle-Sears are currently tied in their bids for the governorship.<\/p>\n<p>Any leftward challenges against Spanberger will likely highlight divisions within the Democratic Party regarding their recent electoral losses and future strategies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2383879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/spanberger-capitol.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[39116,37411,5894,5468],"class_list":["post-2383878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-democratic-divide","tag-governor-race","tag-politics","tag-virginia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/spanberger-capitol.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2383878"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383878\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2383882,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383878\/revisions\/2383882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2383879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2383878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2383878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2383878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}