MANASSAS, Va. – Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle‑Sears is headed to the Prince William County School Board meeting tonight, following a now-infamous appearance in Arlington that triggered a national firestorm and sparked bipartisan backlash.
Sears will appear alongside her lieutenant governor running mate, John Reid, national Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich, and the group’s Prince William County chapter chair. The group plans a press conference and rally at 6:15 p.m. outside the Edward L. Kelly Leadership Center at Independent Hill, before the School Board meeting.
The visit comes on the heels of a viral moment in Arlington, where Sears spoke last week at a School Board meeting to oppose policies allowing transgender students to use restrooms matching their gender identity. During the event, a protester held a two-sided sign—one side reading: “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom then Blacks can’t share my water fountain.”
That sign went viral after the Arlington GOP posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter), garnering over 4 million views and widespread condemnation. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger called it “racist and abhorrent,” saying: “To threaten a return of Jim Crow and segregation to a Black woman is unacceptable. Full stop.”
Equality Arlington, We of Action, and other progressive groups present at the rally quickly distanced themselves from the protester, saying the individual was not affiliated with their organizations and had acted independently.
The controversy has become a major talking point in the governor’s race, with some Democrats privately warning it could become a “McAuliffe moment” for Spanberger—a reference to a debate gaffe that many believe cost Democrat Terry McAuliffe the 2021 governor’s race.
U.S. Senator Mark Warner weighed in on Tuesday, telling Potomac Local News:
“All I know was the sign was totally inappropriate. Abigail Spanberger renounced it that very moment in time, I understand, or shortly afterwards.”
“It’s sometimes kind of hard to control the enthusiasm of supporters and detractors all around,” Warner added. “It’s one of the things that I wish we all would have a little more respect for each other in terms of the political dialogue.”
Meanwhile, the governor’s race is tightening. A Roanoke College poll from mid-August shows Spanberger leading Sears 46% to 39%, while the RealClearPolitics average puts the gap at just under 7 points—down from double-digit margins earlier this year.
Despite tighter polling, national reporting suggests the GOP is worried about Sears’ fundraising and campaign infrastructure. Her recent focus on school board meetings in politically charged Northern Virginia counties appears to be an effort to mobilize conservative-leaning voters ahead of November.
Sources: Virginia Mercury, RealClearPolling, AP News, and Daily Beast.
