Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has come under fire for sharing a controversial clip of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, who made a remark about letting ‘rage’ fuel political action. The clip was posted on Thursday, following a tragic sniper attack at a Dallas ICE facility that left two people dead and others injured. Earle-Sears used the incident to criticize Spanberger’s comments, which she believes could be linked to the violence and other instances of political unrest.
In her post, Earle-Sears emphasized the dangers of fostering anger as a political tool, drawing parallels to incidents like the shooting of Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator who was killed in Utah. She also pointed to the recent backlash against her for her opposition to transgender bathroom policies, where a protester held a racist sign targeting her as a Black woman. Earle-Sears urged her supporters to embrace love and unity, citing Virginia’s popular tourism slogan, ‘Virginia is for lovers,’ as a reminder of the state’s values.
Spanberger, however, has defended her remarks, stating that they were taken out of context and that she never supported political violence. Her spokesperson reiterated that she has always condemned any form of violence and remains committed to bipartisan efforts. Spanberger also expressed condolences for the victims of the Dallas attack, emphasizing that disagreements over policy should not lead to violence. The exchange highlights the polarizing nature of the race and the delicate balance between political rhetoric and real-world consequences.