{"id":2504783,"date":"2025-10-30T12:20:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T16:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gops-earle-sears-forced-off-campaign-trail\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T12:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T16:22:42","slug":"gops-earle-sears-forced-off-campaign-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gops-earle-sears-forced-off-campaign-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP\u2019s Earle-Sears Forced Off Campaign Trail"},"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\">12<\/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%2Fgops-earle-sears-forced-off-campaign-trail%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=2504783&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>Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears has missed multiple campaign events this final week before the election due to a special session called by Democrats in the state&#8217;s general assembly to advance a controversial redistricting amendment. The amendment, aimed at redrawing U.S. House districts through a constitutional amendment,passed initial approval in the House and was expected to be voted on by the Senate,where Earle-Sears serves as president.Democrats are rushing to complete the legislative steps required before voters can decide on the referendum. Critics, including Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, have labeled the redistricting effort unconstitutional and accused Democrats of election interference.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Democratic State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, running for lieutenant governor, also faces scheduling conflicts due to the special session but has taken a leave of absence to attend campaign-related union meetings. Polls show Democratic candidates Abigail Spanberger (governor) and Hashmi hold leads in their respective races, with Spanberger benefiting from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/soros-gave-local-news-network-millions-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Soros gave &#039;local news&#039; network millions - Washington Examiner\">meaningful financial support<\/a> from the National Democratic Redistricting committee.<\/p>\n<p>In the attorney general race, Republican Jason Miyares has gained an advantage over Democrat jay Jones following revelations of Jones&#8217; controversial texts expressing violent fantasies, a reckless driving conviction, and questionable community service activities tied to his political action committee. Media coverage of these scandals has been minimal.<\/p>\n<p>The redistricting effort is part of a broader, bipartisan trend as states like California, Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina also undergo congressional map redraws ahead of upcoming elections. The balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives remains tight, making these redistricting battles crucial for party control.  <\/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<div>\n<p>Republican candidate for Virginia governor Winsome Earle-Sears missed campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/winsomeforgovernor.com\/upcoming-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">events<\/a> on three <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/schedule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">separate<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/virginia-senate.granicus.com\/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">days<\/a> this final week before the election because Democrats called a special session of the state&rsquo;s general assembly to enable <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/10\/29\/miyares-virginia-dems-last-ditch-gerrymandering-gambit-is-unconstitutional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">redistricting<\/a> next year via a constitutional amendment.<\/p>\n<p>The Virginia House of Delegates gave initial approval of the amendment Wednesday, and the state Senate is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2025\/10\/29\/virginia-redistricting-amendment-passes-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expected<\/a> to vote on it on Friday, which could cause Earle-Sears &mdash; who as lieutenant governor is also president of the state Senate &mdash; to miss a campaign event for a fourth day.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s like when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was kept from campaigning in 2024 because Democrats tied him up in court.<\/p>\n<p>Polls this month <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/latest-polls\/election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">show<\/a> the Democrats&rsquo; gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger ahead of Earle-Sears by between 3 and 12 percent. Spanberger received a $150,000 donation from the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/democraticredistricting.com\/chairman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Democratic Redistricting Committee<\/a> (NDRC), chaired by former Obama Attorney General&nbsp;Eric Holder, last week, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vpap.org\/committees\/487325\/raw-reports-in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the Virginia Public Access Project. The state&rsquo;s House Democratic Caucus also received <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vpap.org\/donors\/302891\/recipient\/147803\/?start_year=2025&amp;end_year=2025&amp;recip_type=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$150,000<\/a> last week form the NDRC.<\/p>\n<p>Any proposed change to the state constitution must first pass the legislature in two separate sessions before going to voters in a referendum. Democrats are rushing to hold that first vote this year, so that they can hold a second vote after a new legislative session begins. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/10\/29\/miyares-virginia-dems-last-ditch-gerrymandering-gambit-is-unconstitutional\/\">Miyares<\/a> have called the effort to redraw the state&rsquo;s U.S. House districts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtvr.com\/news\/local-news\/virginia-democrats-special-session-oct-27-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&ldquo;unconstitutional,&rdquo;<\/a> arguing it to does not meet the required timing.<\/p>\n<p>At a Wednesday campaign event scheduled in Charlottesville, Earle-Sears&rsquo; husband, Terence Sears, spoke on his wife&rsquo;s behalf.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Va.,&nbsp;also at the Charlottesville event, described the Democrats&rsquo; calling the special session during the last week of the campaign as &ldquo;election interference.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Hashmi Has &lsquo;Leave of Absence&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, the only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmra.org\/2025-10-29\/statewide-candidates-sidelined-from-the-campaign-trail-by-special-session\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">other<\/a> candidate running for Virginia&rsquo;s statewide office and currently serving in state office &mdash; State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, the Democrat running for lieutenant governor &mdash; <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/session-details\/20242\/minutes\/3444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">missed<\/a> the special session Tuesday in order to meet with <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorHashmi\/status\/1983204292124156380\/photo\/2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">union<\/a> members.<\/p>\n<p>On&nbsp;Tuesday, the Senate <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/session-details\/20242\/minutes\/3444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">met<\/a> for a special session at <a href=\"https:\/\/virginia-senate.granicus.com\/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9 a.m.<\/a> and adjourned at <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/session-details\/20242\/minutes\/3444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:35 a.m.<\/a> Hashmi&rsquo;s X account <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorHashmi\/status\/1983204292124156380\/photo\/2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shows<\/a> she was in Roanoke, three hours&rsquo; drive from Richmond, that morning &mdash; a clock shows 11:22 a.m. in the background of a photo that was posted at 12:08 p.m. that day.<\/p>\n<p>Hashmi had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmra.org\/2025-10-29\/statewide-candidates-sidelined-from-the-campaign-trail-by-special-session\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> WMRA that she would manage serving her taxpayer-funded role versus campaigning without conflict: &ldquo;Well, it&rsquo;s my responsibility to do both. So, we are doing campaign activities in between the work of the sessions. I&rsquo;ll be here as needed, especially for any votes.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps meeting with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the largest union of electrical workers in North America, with her campaign&rsquo;s sign in the room, was not a campaign event. And the purpose of Tuesday&rsquo;s session was mostly to fulfill the state&rsquo;s constitutional requirement that bills receive three readings on <a href=\"https:\/\/sgr.virginia.edu\/frequently-used-terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">three<\/a> different days. Perhaps she wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;needed&rdquo; and it wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;work?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The scheduling conflict created by the special session does not have the same impact on Hashmi as Earle-Sears not only because Hashmi is willing to skip it, but because Hashmi&rsquo;s less significant race has fewer, smaller campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorHashmi\/status\/1983204292124156380\/photo\/2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">events<\/a>. Hashmi&rsquo;s X account coverage of her events this week show various small meetings. Hashmi&rsquo;s down<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >-ballot candidacy largely rides<\/a> on the coattails of the governor&rsquo;s race, and Spanberger has been free to take the NDRC&rsquo;s $150,000 and run.<\/p>\n<p>Hashmi holds a 44 percent to 43 percent lead over opponent John Reid, the Republican nominee for Virginia lieutenant governor, according to a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/wilder.vcu.edu\/news-and-events\/news-posts\/commonwealth-poll-spanberger-leads-earle-sears-49-to-42-in-virginia-governors-race.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poll<\/a> by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2025\/10\/03\/virginia-election-poll-spanberger-earle-sears\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Other<\/a> polls show her with more of a lead.<\/p>\n<p>Reid has criticized Hashmi for not debating him, eventually <a href=\"https:\/\/www.johnreidforvirginia.com\/post\/john-reid-to-release-the-debate-that-should-have-happened\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">creating<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.johnreidforvirginia.com\/debate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video<\/a> using Hashmi&rsquo;s previous real comments, but voiced by AI, with Reid &ldquo;responding directly to his opponent&rsquo;s publicly stated positions.&rdquo; Reid was in turn criticized by some for using AI.<\/p>\n<h2>Legislative Process<\/h2>\n<p>The special session would also create conflicts for the smaller campaigns of the 100 House delegates up for election in their districts. The special session has continued this <a href=\"https:\/\/virginia-senate.granicus.com\/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Monday<\/a> through Thursday, with Earle-Sears present each day, and is scheduled for Friday too.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a waste of taxpayers&rsquo; money, $750,000 at least,&rdquo; Sears said of the special session&rsquo;s cost to the state.<\/p>\n<h2>Jones&rsquo; Shocking Texts, Speeding, and Community Service for His Own PAC<\/h2>\n<p>In the other statewide race this year, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mi-lawmakers-just-made-it-easier-to-commit-election-fraud\/\" title=\"MI Lawmakers Simplify Process for ... Fraud\">attorney general&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s race, Republican Miyares took the lead over the Democrats&rsquo; candidate Jay Jones earlier this month due to the shocking news that Jones sent <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/10\/03\/virginia-dem-ag-candidate-fantasized-about-assassinating-republican-wished-death-on-his-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">texts<\/a> fantasizing about the assassination of the then-state House Speaker, a Republican, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtvr.com\/news\/local-news\/jay-jones-text-messages-oct-3-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wishing<\/a> death upon his children.<\/p>\n<p>That news displaced another scandal reported only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/dem-ag-nominee-jay-jones-fantasized-about-shooting-former-virginia-gop-speaker-he-receives-both-bullets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">days<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-194508748.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJHb6juwBX3c9qtDGrwWOVseNsrzjqfN6z7I0LO7qVks1KZgBdDrmAzYdcbw-pzWaCAbfKGkEZrVhfhEfNGLe8_7LBs9ud66BSrI5we-CiszgyXD5VfadfdGzb15FrL4mQ4Lv2XNA60u5Dpml7EqLfoZoUzNjLGHPmXWzSvjDnAg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">before<\/a>: that Jones was convicted of reckless driving at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-convicted-reckless-driving-calls-mistake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">116 mph<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/10\/07\/democrat-attorney-general-jay-jones-virginia-reckless-driving-community-service-political-pac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">46 mph<\/a> over the speed limit, in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Jones then performed <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/10\/01\/us-news\/virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-dodged-jail-for-reckless-driving-with-500-community-service-hours-at-his-own-pac-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">500<\/a> court-ordered hours of community service by working for his <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/10\/07\/democrat-attorney-general-jay-jones-virginia-reckless-driving-community-service-political-pac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">own<\/a> political action committee, which is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-convicted-reckless-driving-calls-mistake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/10\/07\/democrat-attorney-general-jay-jones-virginia-reckless-driving-community-service-political-pac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a charitable<\/a> organization, as required.<\/p>\n<p>Media Research Center (MRC) analysts looked at the ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS evening, morning, and Sunday roundtable shows from&nbsp;October 3, the day Jones&rsquo; texts were first reported by&nbsp;National Review, through the morning of October 7&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/newsbusters.org\/blogs\/nb\/geoffrey-dickens\/2025\/10\/07\/democrat-jay-jones-heinous-texts-get-scant-63-seconds-nbc-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found<\/a> only one mention of the Jones text scandal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The networks have also failed to discuss Jones&rsquo;s 2022 conviction of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-convicted-reckless-driving-calls-mistake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speeding<\/a>&nbsp;at 116 mph,&rdquo; MRC reported.<\/p>\n<h2>Gerrymandering is Bipartisan<\/h2>\n<p>Virginia Democrats have a slim majority in both houses. All 100 seats of the Virginia House of Delegates are up for election on Nov. 4; all 40 seats of the Senate are up for election in <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Virginia_State_Senate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A similar Democrat-led effort to redistrict U.S. House seats is underway in California. Republican lawmakers in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/redistricting-house-map-democrats-congress-trump-virginia-dc551ae9fba413a7e61e6e8d2c04b4ff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">already<\/a> have approved new congressional maps. More may follow suit.<\/p>\n<p>Currently the U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/pressgallery.house.gov\/member-data\/party-breakdown\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">House<\/a> has 219 Republican members and Democrats have 213 &mdash; with a few more seats, Democrats could take control and oppose Trump&rsquo;s agenda.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Eleanor Bartow is the features editor at The Federalist. She was editor-in-chief of the American Enterprise Institute&rsquo;s magazine, an editor and investigative reporter at the Daily Caller, and a reporter for Congressional Quarterly. Her articles have been published with Fox News, The New York Times, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Real Clear Policy, and others. She received a Fulbright grant in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/elliebartow\">@elliebartow<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Earle-Sears missed 3 campaign days due to Dems&#8217; special session<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":686,"featured_media":2504784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Earle-e1761826198881.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33933,40299,3728,6203,5894],"class_list":["post-2504783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-trail","tag-earle-sears","tag-election","tag-gop","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Earle-e1761826198881.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504783","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\/686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2504783"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2504787,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504783\/revisions\/2504787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2504784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2504783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2504783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2504783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}