President Donald Trump has urged Virginians to vote Republican in the state’s upcoming gubernatorial election, calling GOP candidate and current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears “excellent.”
Trump also blasted Earle-Sears’ Democrat opponent, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), as “a disaster.”
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington, D.C., the president was asked if he planned to formally endorse Earle-Sears in the tight race.
“Mr. President, you haven’t weighed in on the Virginia gubernatorial race that’s in a few weeks,” a reporter asked.
“Do you plan to endorse the lieutenant governor?”
“I think the Republican candidate is very good, and I think she should win because the Democrat candidate’s a disaster,” Trump said.
The president added that he has not “been too much involved” in the Virginia election.
“I think the Republican candidate is excellent, and I think the Democrat candidate is a disaster,” he continued.
Trump said he recently watched Spanberger in a debate with Earle-Sears and was unimpressed with her performance.
“When I watched Spanberger during the recent debate, she couldn’t answer the most basic question,” Trump said.
The president also pointed to energy policy as a major factor in both Virginia and New Jersey’s upcoming elections.
“A big thing with that race and also the race in New Jersey is going to be energy,” Trump said.
“Both of the Democrats are going to drive the energy prices through the roof — through the roof.
“Your energy is going to double and triple.
“If the Republican gets elected, your energy is going to be coming down by 70, 80 percent.
“Thank you very much, everybody, vote Republican.”
Trump Responds to Jay Jones’s Remarks
During the same exchange, Trump was asked about Jay Jones, the Democrat nominee for attorney general in Virginia.
Jones sparked controversy during a recent debate with current Attorney General Jason Miyares.
“I cannot wait to see Donald Trump in court and protect Virginia to put us first,” Jones said during the debate, calling on Miyares to “prosecute the president.”
When asked for his reaction, Trump sharply criticized Jones, calling him “a third-rate intellect.”
“He’s a third-rate intellect,” Trump said.
“He’s a guy … I’ve never seen anybody say what he said — that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children, he wanted to kill his opponent.
‘I can’t imagine anybody voting for Jay Jones.”
Trump’s comments refer to text messages obtained by the National Review.
In the texts, Jones allegedly sent disturbing messages to Virginia House Delegate Carrie Coyner (R) on August 8, 2022.
Jones fantasized in the messages about a scenario in which, if forced to choose between shooting two dictators or then–House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R), he “would shoot Gilbert twice.”
In later messages, Jones allegedly “talked about Gilbert’s children dying in the arms of their mother.”
Jones has not publicly denied sending the messages but has faced mounting backlash over the violent rhetoric.
High Stakes for Virginia Republicans
The Virginia gubernatorial race is being closely watched nationwide as a bellwether for 2026 midterms.
Earle-Sears, the state’s first black female lieutenant governor and a Marine Corps veteran, has built her campaign on cutting energy costs, boosting parental rights, and continuing the education reforms launched under Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term Democrat congresswoman, has campaigned on abortion rights, environmental policy, and opposing Trump-aligned Republicans.
Trump’s comments mark his most direct involvement yet in the race, signaling his continued influence in state-level contests heading into the next election cycle.
READ MORE – UN Cuts Down 100,000 Amazon Trees to Make Way for ‘Climate Change’ Summit
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.