In closely watched Virginia governor race, GOP's Earle-Sears, Dem's Spanberger can't agree on debate

Virginia GOP Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor, and her Democrat rival, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, have yet to mutually agree on a debate, with Spanberger having rejected the most recent offer, by CNN. 

Spanberger's campaign suggested the candidate wants to focus on state-level issues over making the race one more about national issues.

“We believe that debates about Virginia’s future should be rooted in Virginia, produced by Virginia media, and accessible to Virginians across the Commonwealth – which is especially important after Winsome Earle-Sears declined a debate that featured three Virginia broadcast partners," campaign manager Samson Signori said.

The race, with Election Day in November, is being seen as a bellwether of voter sentiment ahead of the 2028 presidential elections. State laws prohibit GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin from seeking reelection. His 2021 victory marked the first time in nearly a decade that Republicans had won the seat.

With northern Virginia bordering Washington, D.C., many residents in that largely liberal part of the state have been impacted by President Trump's cuts to the federal workforce, which is expected to impact whether they will elect another Republican to run the state. 

Spanberger leads Earle-Sears 45.2% to 36%, according to the latest polling average from Decision Desk HQ. 

On Wednesday, Earle-Sears accepted the CNN invitation for the live debate, which would have taken place in late September or early October, CNN reported. However, Spanberger declined the invitation on Thursday.

“Winsome Earle-Sears is not afraid to answer tough questions and face Virginians head-on," her campaign said. "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.