Richmond, VA – As Virginia’s closely watched state legislative elections approach, republican candidates are intensifying their focus on issues related to transgender rights, a strategy Democrats argue misrepresents the priorities of most voters. The tactic, exemplified by Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-sears, is drawing criticism as out of touch with economic anxieties and healthcare concerns dominating the minds of many Virginians.
The renewed emphasis on transgender issues comes as republicans seek to energize their base and draw contrasts with Democratic opponents, but it risks alienating moderate voters and underscores a disconnect between the GOP’s agenda and the everyday concerns of Virginians. With control of the state legislature hanging in the balance, the debate highlights a essential disagreement over which issues will define this election cycle and shape the future of the state.
Democrats contend that republicans like Earle-Sears are prioritizing a culture war over tangible issues. “They’re focused on things that don’t matter and they’re ignoring the millions of Americans whose health care is at risk,” stated Laura Packard, a small business owner and cancer survivor who protested an Earle-Sears event.
Virginia State Senator Danica Roem, the nation’s first openly transgender person elected to both chambers of a state legislature, believes the Republican focus signals a failing campaign strategy. “I’ve seen this happen. I have seen this playbook. It is indeed not going to work,” Roem said. She pointed to the uncertainty stemming from the federal government as a more pressing concern for many Virginians, particularly the over 300,000 federal workers residing in the state.
Roem, representing a district centered on Manassas, has repeatedly won reelection after flipping a state legislative district from red to blue in 2017. She recounts facing similar attacks centered on sports participation, bathroom access, healthcare, and forced outing policies, yet consistently prevailing at the ballot box. “They attacked me over sports. They’ve attacked me over bathrooms. They’ve attacked me over health care.They’ve attacked me over forced outing, you name it. And I won,” she affirmed.
