By Trevor Metcalfe
VIRGINIA BEACH — Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger spent a Saturday in Hampton Roads for the second time this month, trying to make her case that she is up to the challenge of taking on Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in this year’s race for Virginia governor.
The Black History Month campaign event at the Blackeyed Peas soul food restaurant comes as rumors circulated a few weeks ago about a primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott. The longtime congressman has not entered the race but was weighing his options, he told The Virginian-Pilot in January — with no timeline for making a decision.
The potential of a Scott campaign came as some Democrats reportedly expressed concern about Spanberger’s ability to draw Black voters. She said her record in the 7th Congressional District, which includes Fredericksburg and whose voters are about 20% Black, speaks for itself.
“We had extraordinary diversity in terms of geography, in terms of racial demographics, in terms of language spoken at home,” said Spanberger, 45.
She said her outreach efforts are reflected in her three victories before and after redistricting in 2021, which redrew the sector — removing parts of Henrico County, among other areas.
She also said she understood why some unfamiliar voters might be skeptical, which is partly why she resigned her U.S. House seat to campaign full time.
“If someone’s asking for you to put your faith in them, your trust in them and give them your vote, I think people have the right to have a little bit of a sort of wary eye at first,” Spanberger said.
She also sounded the alarm about President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk’s plans to gut the federal workforce. According to Associated Press reporting, the Trump administration began laying off probationary employees at several federal agencies last week, including the Department of Veterans Affairs. Roughly 5.7% of the Hampton Roads workforce is federal employees, according to an analysis of federal data by The Washington Post.
“The potential impacts are catastrophic on the livelihoods of individual Virginians, on Virginia’s economy,” she said.
Beyond workers and their families, extensive cuts could hurt the small businesses they frequent and harm Virginia’s ability to pay out unemployment benefits, Spanberger said.
“If you think you’re gonna lose your job, or you’re filled with worry, you’re not taking your family out for dinner on Friday,” she said. “You’re not going to the movies.”
Earle-Sears’ campaign did not return a request for comment Saturday. However, the 60-year-old former Norfolk delegate recently told the Associated Press that Trump was taking inventory of the federal workforce and looking for savings, a move she supported.
On Feb. 1, Spanberger hosted a meet-and-greet event for area veterans with Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, and also spent time that weekend touring other Hampton Roads locations, according to the campaign.
Spanberger led Earle-Sears 44%-34%, with 17% of voters undecided, in the latest Virginia governor poll from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University released Jan. 24. If neither Scott nor other candidates enter the race, the commonwealth would be guaranteed of electing its first female governor.