This story first appeared in Dogwood
Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial election spotlights a stark contrast in candidates’ views on women’s reproductive rights.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee, has made headlines with her controversial remarks on abortion. She has labeled abortion as “Black genocide” and expressed dissatisfaction with what she perceives as insufficient pro-life advocacy among Black mothers. Earle-Sears has also been criticized for disseminating claims that abortions occur up to birth and that infants are being murdered afterward. She supported Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s unsuccessful 15-week abortion ban proposal, which was rejected by voters in the 2023 election. In a 2022 radio interview, she stated, “Women need to make our choices before we’re pregnant, not, you know, after. You already made a choice.”
Notably, Earle-Sears opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
Virginia: The Last Hope for Abortion in the South
Currently, Virginia permits abortions through the end of the second trimester, approximately 27 weeks and six days of gestation. Post this period, abortions are allowed only in emergencies threatening the woman’s life or health.
Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee and former three-term congresswoman, advocates for maintaining reproductive rights. “I’m a mother, I have three daughters and fundamentally I do not believe that as an individual or a lawmaker I have a right to tell other women what choices they should make,” she stated in an interview with Dogwood.
Spanberger’s campaign has been fueled by responses from Virginians concerned about the implications of the fall of Roe and the Dobbs decision. She explained, “I heard it across the board from men, from women, from grandparents, to young people who were horrified at the realities that we were already starting to see on the ground here in Virginia.”
Gov. Youngkin has twice vetoed the Right to Contraception Act, which aimed to ensure Virginians’ access to contraceptives and related information. Earle-Sears also voted against this legislation. Spanberger has committed to signing the Act into law if elected, asserting, “In 2025 every Virginian ought to have the right to purchase any contraception that they need or want. It shouldn’t be up to politicians.”
Youngkin’s campaign to impose a 15-week abortion ban failed to gain traction, reflecting a disconnect with voter sentiment. Spanberger, who transitioned from a CIA career to politics, was unsurprised by this outcome, noting, “The reason that our General Assembly is currently in majority Democratic hands is because they pledged to move forward in legislating to protect a woman’s right to an abortion.”
Earlier this year, both the Senate and House of Delegates advanced an amendment to the Virginia constitution to safeguard reproductive freedoms, including the right to abortion. Spanberger celebrated this move, stating, “Virginians deserve the certainty of knowing that their rights are protected in the Virginia Constitution.”
In contrast, Earle-Sears opposed the amendment, citing moral objections.
If the Democratic majority is re-elected this November, the amendment will require re-approval in 2026 before appearing on the ballot. A poll by Virginia Commonwealth University indicates that 62% of Virginians support this constitutional amendment.
Virginia has seen a 16% increase in abortions between 2023 and 2024, as restrictive laws in neighboring Southern states drive patients across state lines. Planned Parenthood has reported a significant rise in out-of-state patients, from 2% to 30%.
“We are the last state in the South not to have imposed more restrictive laws in place after the Dobbs decision,” Spanberger highlighted. She added, “And certainly the whole world is watching what’s happening in places like Texas, where women are being turned away from essential care.”
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