Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R ) is locked in a tight race with her potential Democratic rivals in the state’s upcoming governor’s race, according to a new poll released on Friday.
According to the polling from Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, Earle-Sears trails Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) 47 percent to 44 percent. Nine percent said they were undecided.
The same poll showed a slightly more narrow margin between Earle-Sears and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who is said to be considering a run. Earle-Sears led Scott 46 percent to 44 percent with 10 percent saying they were undecided.
The Mason-Dixon poll also showed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R ) with a high approval rating, a potentially promising sign for Sears. Fifty-eight percent said they approved of Youngkin’s job as governor, while only 37 percent said they disapproved. Five percent said they were not sure.
Earle-Sears jumped into the race in September with the support of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R ) who is term limited. Spanberger announced she would run in November of 2023. Last month, Rep. Bobby Scott (R-Va.) told Punchbowl News he was not ruling out a bid.
The poll follows an Emerson College poll released on Thursday showed Spanberger leading Earle-Sears 42 percent to 41 percent, with four percent saying they would support another candidate and 13 percent saying they were undecided.
The race will be one of the few major off-year elections of 2025. Vice President Harris won Virginia in 2025, but underperformed Biden’s 2020 margins. Harris defeated Trump in the state by just under six points while Biden defeated Trump in the state four years earlier by 10 points.
