“Republicans are increasingly worried that budget cuts by Elon Musk’s DOGE could cost them dearly in November’s vote for Virginia governor — an early electoral test of President Trump’s policies,” Axios reports.

“Virginia has one of the highest percentages of federal employees in the country — more than 5% of the state’s workforce by some estimates — and Republicans’ internal polls are starting to show the damage from tens of thousands of federal layoffs.”

“Six months out from November, Virginia Democrats believe the governor’s race is Abigail Spanberger’s to lose,” Politico reports.

“There’s a risk the former member of Congress could get bogged down by national malaise toward the Democratic Party, and her margins could end up being tight because of the negative Democratic brand.”

“But Democrats are hopeful that Spanberger can overcome that national dynamic. She flipped a competitive district in 2018 that stretches into rural Southwest Virginia and she benefits from the unpopular actions of President Donald Trump. His stop-and-start trade war coupled with the elimination of thousands of federal jobs and looming Medicaid cuts are widely unwelcome in the Commonwealth. Spanberger enjoys strong name recognition and is far out-fundraising her opponent, a candidate who even some fellow Republicans are wincing about.”

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) “is launching her first TV ad of the 2025 Virginia governor’s race, detailing her background as she ramps up her campaign in one of the most closely watched elections of the year,” NBC News reports.

“Virginia Republicans are bracing for November with a growing sense of doom,” Politico reports.

“The GOP already faced a tough climate in this year’s elections thanks to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s war on the state’s robust federal workforce. Then came a bitter, intraparty feud over Republicans’ lieutenant governor candidate. Now, some Republicans are privately expressing concerns about the viability of their gubernatorial nominee, Winsome Earle-Sears.”

Cook Political Report: “The Virginia governor’s race is officially set, with both Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears avoiding a primary. This means that the commonwealth will elect its first female governor come November.”

“When we initially rated this contest in December, we put the race in Toss Up, given the absence of early polling and the uncertainty of the political climate before Donald Trump’s second term began. However, after talks with sources on both sides of the aisle — taking into consideration the political environment, Democratic enthusiasm and private polling — we are shifting the Virginia governor’s race from Toss Up to Lean Democrat.”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) asked John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, to step down over explicit photos that Reid denies he reposted on social media, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

Said Reid: “As long as I have been in the public space, I have been a target for malicious and salacious lies.”

A Roanoke College poll finds Virginia’s gubernatorial race has taken a dramatic twist as Abigail Spanberger (D) surged to a healthy lead over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R), 39% to 24%.

The two were tied at 39% in the same survey in September. 

“Early surveys show former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) leading Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) in the race to replace Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), in what is likely to be the marquee gubernatorial matchup of this year’s off-year elections,” Pluribus News reports.

A new Mason-Dixon poll in Virginia finds former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) leading Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) in the race for governor, 47% to 44%.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) has filed paperwork to run for Virginia governor in 2025, WRIC reports.

As expected, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) announced in a video that she is running for governor of Virginia in 2025.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) has begun assembling a campaign team ahead of launching a 2025 Virginia governor’s bid later this year, Politico reports.

Terry McAuliffe (D) told CNN that “fatigue and exhaustion from Trump” has clearly been an issue for Democrats in the Virginia governor’s race.

He added he does wish “from a political perspective” that Trump still had access to his Twitter account.

“For months as he campaigned for governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin tried to sound a lot like the kind of Republican who dominated the party back in 2009 — the last time a Republican was elected to statewide office,” the New York Times reports.

“He avoided discussion of divisive social issues in favor of praise of free markets and job creators, and conservative activists knew very little about him or what he believed as a result.”

“In the final days before the election on Tuesday, many Republicans say they still have no idea what Mr. Youngkin really believes. But they have cheered him on regardless, after he took a hard-right turn and began promoting the causes that are animating conservatives and supporters of the former president, from the debate over teaching the impact of racism to transgender rights in schools.”

“Donald Trump plans to hold a tele-rally for Republican Glenn Youngkin on Monday night, a day before the Virginia gubernatorial election,” Bloomberg reports.

“The former president on Wednesday teased the possibility that he would campaign in Virginia before the election, but will do the tele-rally, typically a call with supporters to generate support for the candidate.”