{"id":2474716,"date":"2025-08-14T13:09:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T17:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-gubernatorial-candidates-cant-decide-on-a-debate-time\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T13:09:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T17:09:53","slug":"virginia-gubernatorial-candidates-cant-decide-on-a-debate-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-gubernatorial-candidates-cant-decide-on-a-debate-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia gubernatorial candidates can&#8217;t decide on a debate time"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fvirginia-gubernatorial-candidates-cant-decide-on-a-debate-time%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=2474716&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 two main candidates for Virginia governor, Lt.Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (Republican) and former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger,have each agreed to participate in different fall debates,but have not agreed on a single shared event. Earle-Sears accepted CNN&#8217;s invitation to a debate scheduled for late September or early October, while Spanberger committed to a debate hosted by AARP Virginia at Virginia State university set for September 16. Spanberger&#8217;s campaign confirmed her participation early on and noted that Earle-Sears declined their proposed debate, which has as been canceled.<\/p>\n<p>Earle-Sears&#8217;s campaign suggested the CNN debate would offer broader exposure and a national platform, while Spanberger&#8217;s team has not confirmed whether she will join the CNN debate.Political analysts view the lack of agreement on a joint debate as a missed opportunity for voters to see the candidates face off directly prior to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hollywood-liberals-dumping-massive-amounts-of-money-into-georgia-senate-runoffs\/\" title=\"Hollywood Liberals Dumping Massive Amounts Of Money Into Georgia Senate Runoffs\">early voting<\/a> beginning September 19. The Virginia governor&#8217;s race is seen as a key indicator ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with Earle-Sears trailing spanberger in polls and fundraising, making debates an important chance to influence voters.<\/p>\n<p>the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" ><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ill-see-you-in-court-larry-elder-slams-california-secretary-of-state-for-letter-which-claims-he-did-not-qualify-as-a-candidate\/\" title=\"\u2018I\u2019ll See You In Court\u2019: Larry Elder Slams California Secretary Of State For Letter Which Claims He \u2018Did Not Qualify As A Candidate\u2019\">gubernatorial candidates<\/a> remain divided<\/a> on which debates to attend, complicating efforts to stage a direct contest, but both continue to engage in separate forums as the campaign advances.  <\/p>\n<div id=\"ld-4686-3758\"><\/div>\n<p><script>(function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:14832835450050406,size:[0, 0],id:\"ld-4686-3758\"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.decide.dev\/_js\/ajs.js\";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,\"script\",\"ld-ajs\");<\/script><\/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\">Virginia gubernatorial candidates can&rsquo;t decide on which debate to face off at<\/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_2152731\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Both of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Virginia<\/a>&lsquo;s gubernatorial candidates have accepted a fall debate against their opponent &mdash; just not the same one. <\/p>\n<p>Lt. Gov. <a href=\"http:\/\/We're%20gonna%20be%20lucky%20to%20get%20one%20and%20and%20I'm%20not%20optimistic%20about%20that%20at%20this%20point,%20but%20the%20fact%20that%20she%20that%20Sears%20did%20say%20yes%20to%20CNN,%20makes%20me%20think%20that%20spanberger%20will%20probably%20come%20around\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Winsome Earle-Sears<\/a> (R-VA) accepted CNN&rsquo;s invitation on Wednesday to a fall debate, while former Democratic Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abigail-spanberger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Abigail Spanberger<\/a> accepted an invitation to participate in a debate hosted by AARP Virginia&nbsp;at Virginia State University.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3499542\/california-redistricting-commission-poll\/\">California voters reject overturning independent redistricting commission: Poll<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3499038\/nrcc-launches-inside-the-majority-video-series-gabe-evans\/\">NRCC launches &lsquo;Inside the Majority&rsquo; video series ahead of 2026 midterm elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3499400\/obama-called-mamdani-offer-advice-nyc-mayoral-primary-win\/\">Obama called Mamdani to offer advice after socialist&#8217;s NYC mayoral primary win<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The candidates&rsquo; failure to agree to the same debate has complicated efforts to host an onstage matchup before early voting begins.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Abigail formally accepted the statewide &lsquo;People&rsquo;s Debate&rsquo; more than a month ago with AARP Virginia, Virginia State University, WTVR-Richmond, WJLA-Northern Virginia, and WTKR-Norfolk &mdash; confirming her participation for September 16 at Virginia State University,&rdquo; said Samson Signori, Spanberger&rsquo;s campaign manager. &ldquo;Unfortunately, her opponent declined to participate in this statewide debate.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Spanberger&rsquo;s campaign did not address the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&lsquo;s question about whether she would agree to participate in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/08\/13\/politics\/cnn-debate-virginia-earle-sears-spanberger\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">CNN debate<\/a> in late September or early October. Voters will ask questions of the candidates during the debate, which network anchors will moderate.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Winsome Earle-Sears is not afraid to answer tough questions and face Virginians head-on. This debate is an opportunity for voters to see the difference between a leader with a clear plan and a career politician who would rather talk around the issues,&rdquo; Earle-Sears&rsquo;s campaign spokeswoman Peyton Vogel told the outlet.<\/p>\n<p>Vogel did not respond to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&lsquo;s question about why she declined the AARP Virginia-sponsored debate, which would have been the first time the historically black college hosted a gubernatorial debate. But her campaign signaled that scheduling conflicts prevented her from accepting the invitation. The debate has since been canceled after Earle-Sears declined.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think, from a strategic point of view, Sears probably was thinking that CNN would give her more exposure. It certainly would give her a national platform,&rdquo; David Richards, a political science professor at the University of Lynchburg, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not quite sure Spanberger&rsquo;s objection at this point, except that maybe the terms are not quite what she wanted, and I don&rsquo;t know what those terms are.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>The Virginia race is widely seen as a political bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The results from this year&rsquo;s Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races will likely foreshadow what the national parties can expect from voters next year.<\/p>\n<p>Spanberger <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3499321\/winsome-earle-sears-pressures-abigail-spanberger-over-loudoun-transgender-policy-standoff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">won a coveted endorsement <\/a>from the Virginia Police Benevolent Association this week, four years after it backed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and Earle-Sears during the 2021 Virginia statewide races. <\/p>\n<p>Youngkin&rsquo;s debates against Democrat Terry McAuliffe in September 2021 proved to be pivotal as the two men clashed over parental rights in education. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,&rdquo; McAuliffe said, which the GOP seized upon and helped Youngkin flip the governor&rsquo;s mansion red.<\/p>\n<p>Earle-Sears has trailed Spanberger in polling and fundraising, making a debate one of the last big opportunities to make an impact on voters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think at this point, Sears knows that she needs to get her message out to as many people as possible, because she just doesn&rsquo;t seem to be connecting otherwise,&rdquo; said Richards.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re gonna be lucky to get one (debate),&rdquo; said Richards. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;m not optimistic about that at this point, but the fact that Sears did say yes to CNN makes me think that Spanberger will probably come around.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Early voting in Virginia begins Sept. 19.<\/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_2152731\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2152731\"}});<\/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 gubernatorial candidates accept different fall debates<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2474717,"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\/2025\/01\/AP22025647738149-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[61277,3728,52227,5468],"class_list":["post-2474716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-debate-time","tag-election","tag-gubernatorial-candidates","tag-virginia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AP22025647738149-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474716","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\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2474716"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2474720,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474716\/revisions\/2474720"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2474717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2474716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2474716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2474716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}