Non-bylined articles represent the majority view of the Revolution staff. The opinions expressed below do not represent Albemarle County Public Schools.
Over the last 10 months, the United States has entered a period of dramatic and unprecedented instability and uncertainty. ICE agents make arrests in the absence of due process, the economy has entered a tailspin while the cost of living soars, and public education has come increasingly under attack.
In times such as these, it is clear that change is not just welcomed but necessary, and Abigail Spanberger would bring just that to Virginia. That’s why The Revolution endorses her in this year’s gubernatorial election.
One of the biggest issues facing Virginians across the board is the worsening affordability crisis. Under Governor Glenn Youngkin and Vice Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, basic quality-of-life needs like energy and healthcare have steadily risen in cost. Spanberger aims to change that. By increasing local energy generation and cracking down on middlemen pharmacy benefit managers, she plans to reverse this dangerous trend.
Earle-Sears, on the other hand, wants to reduce regulations on large companies like pharmaceutical corporations and has expressed no interest in generating more energy on-site, meaning prices would only continue to rise. On this issue it’s clear: Spanberger wants to help all Virginians, while Earle-Sears would only further enrich the wealthy elite.
It’s also no secret that Youngkin, Earle-Sears, and Miyares have not only allowed but facilitated the arrest and deportation of immigrants across the state in ways that push the boundaries of ethics and legality.
Spanberger, on the other hand, would repeal policies allowing local law enforcement to act as immigration officials while still ensuring that our state remains safe and undocumented immigrants have a fair pathway to legal status.
Speaking of safety, another one of Spanberger’s agenda items is passing common-sense gun laws to keep firearms safely stored and out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat both to themselves and others. She would also support bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, which are frequently used in mass casualty shootings.
Such regulations could have prevented the February shooting at a Harris Teeter in Crozet, where a person suffering from poor mental health fired 28 rounds from an AR-15, killing two people. While his parents tried to have local law enforcement confiscate his firearms on the basis of mental health, the officers felt that the current policies did not allow them to do so.
Finally, Spanberger is focused on revitalizing Virginia’s ailing public school system by modernizing both statewide testing and school buildings while ensuring that Virginia’s curriculum continues to be rigorous and thorough. Her gun policies are aimed at reducing school shootings, and Spanberger has placed an increased emphasis on increasing resources for student support.
Overall, Abigail Spanberger is clearly the better choice for Virginians and for standing up to President Trump’s dangerous and erratic agenda. She would bring much-needed change to the governor’s office, while her opponent would only bring more of the same. And if the present is any indication, four more years of Earle-Sears would only bring the Commonwealth down.
