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Spanberger, Earle-Sears deadlocked in tight Virginia Governor’s race, new poll finds • Virginia Mercury

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Spanberger, Earle-Sears deadlocked in tight Virginia Governor’s race, new poll finds • Virginia Mercury


Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are in a neck-and-neck race for Virginia governor, according to the first Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll of the 2025 election. Spanberger leads Earle-Sears by a razor-thin margin, 42% to 41%, with 4% of voters supporting another candidate and 13% undecided, the survey found. 

With 10 months to go before the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election, the race “is tight overall, but significant demographic differences are emerging”, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. 

Kimball noted that Earle-Sears has strong support among male voters, who favor her 52% to 37%, and white voters, who back her 50% to 35%. Spanberger, on the other hand, leads among women, 47% to 31%, as well as older voters over 70 and younger voters under 30, who support her 46% to 43% and 43% to 33%, respectively.

Both women are currently the only declared candidates for their parties in Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial race. Earle-Sears appears poised to secure the Republican nomination after endorsements from Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares. 

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On the Democratic side, however, the race could expand, as U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, has openly mused about running. Meanwhile, former GOP Rep. Denver Riggleman is considering a bid for governor or lieutenant governor as an independent candidate.

Thursday’s survey shows little change in the dynamics of the Virginia gubernatorial race since a September poll by the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, which found Spanberger and Earle-Sears tied at 39%, reflecting a consistently tight contest as the 2025 election approaches.

The new poll further highlights significant voter dissatisfaction with the economy, as 51% of respondents feel their financial situation is worse than it was four years ago. Only 27% believe their situation has improved, and 22% feel it has stayed the same.

“Among those who feel their economic situation is worse than four years ago, 56% think the state is headed in the right direction and 56% have a favorable view of the Governor,” Kimball said. 

“Additionally, 66% of those who feel they are worse off than four years ago have an unfavorable view of President Biden, suggesting they may be blaming the president rather than Governor Youngkin for their current economic situation.”

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Youngkin, who is term-limited, remains popular among Virginia voters, with a 48% favorable rating and 35% unfavorable. 

Both gubernatorial candidates are less well-known to voters: Spanberger has a 38% favorable rating and 21% unfavorable, with 24% neutral and 17% unfamiliar. Earle-Sears holds a 33% favorable rating and 22% unfavorable, while 27% are neutral and 18% unfamiliar.

Voters are evenly split on President-elect Donald Trump, with 47% holding a favorable view and 47% unfavorable. President Joe Biden fares slightly worse in Virginia, with a 43% favorable rating and 50% unfavorable.

The poll shows a majority of voters (59%) believe Virginia is headed in the right direction, while 41% think the state is on the wrong track. The economy is the top issue for Virginia voters (38%), followed by housing affordability (14%), healthcare (10%), education (8%), and threats to democracy (8%).

Additionally, 56% of voters agree that climate change could be a factor in the recent heavy snowstorms that disrupted parts of the state, while 44% disagree.

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The Emerson College Polling survey, conducted Jan. 6-8, included 1,000 registered Virginia voters and has a credibility interval of +/- 3 percentage points. Data were weighted by gender, education, race, age, party registration and region.

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Vice President JD Vance eyes estate in Virginia

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Vice President JD Vance eyes estate in Virginia


Vice President J.D. Vance is eyeing a multimillion-dollar estate in Middleburg, Virginia, to serve as a part-time home for his family, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.

The second family is leasing two of the four properties at Wolver Hill Farm, a sprawling, nearly 500-acre estate situated about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Washington, D.C.

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What we know:

The historic property was acquired five years ago for nearly $9 million by Chuck Kuhn, the owner of J.K. Moving.

According to Michael Neibauer with the Washington Business Journal, there are four homes on the 500-acre property which backs up to the Salamander Middleburg Resort and Spa.

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“I wouldn’t be shocked if the Vance family maybe takes advantage of some of those spa facilities that are celebrated out there,” Neibauer added.

Requests for comment regarding the lease agreements were sent to Kuhn’s company, which has not yet responded.

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The potential move comes at a busy time for the Vances, as Second Lady Usha Vance is currently expecting the couple’s fourth child.

The news has quickly traveled through the heart of Middleburg, a historic town known for its vibrant strip of mom-and-pop shops and popular resorts along East Washington Street.

What they’re saying:

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Business owners along the main thoroughfare were universally aware of their potential new neighbor, though several declined to talk on camera.

The reaction to the Vice President’s potential arrival has been mixed.

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“Well, I figure J.D. is going to—the vice president, excuse me— is going to want to play some golf, and I’m a member of Creighton Farms. So, Mr. Vice President, if you’re watching, you’re always welcome on my tee time,” Upperville resident Luke Mahoney said.

When asked if he has concerns about having a potential Secret Service presence in the community, Mahoney said, “No, it can’t be worse than the people that drive 35 miles an hour on Route 50 during commute times. I think they’re very professional; they do a great job. I’m not really that worried about it.”

The Source: This information is from the Washington Business Journal and FOX5 DC reporting. 

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Vance leasing part of multimillion-dollar Virginia farm as an additional residence | CNN Politics

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Vance leasing part of multimillion-dollar Virginia farm as an additional residence | CNN Politics


Vice President JD Vance is leasing part of a sprawling, multimillion-dollar property in rural Virginia to serve as an additional residence for his family, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.

The new rental residence is part of the historic Wolver Hill Farm, which spans nearly 500 acres on the outskirts of Middleburg, Virginia, a wealthy enclave located a little more than an hour drive from Washington, DC.

Wolver Hill Farm is owned by a firm led by Charles Kuhn, the founder of a moving company that has moved several presidents into and out of the White House, including President Donald Trump. The company is also a longtime government contractor.

Kuhn in recent years has become one of the largest landholders in Virginia, as well as a major player in the development of data centers across the state. In one deal last November, Kuhn’s company reportedly sold a nearly 100-acre parcel of land to a data center investor for $615 million.

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Vance is renting part of the Middleburg property from Kuhn’s firm primarily for his wife and three kids, in what the people familiar described as an effort to provide them with a greater sense of normalcy away from the scrutiny of Washington. The vice president is expected to stay there on occasion, though he and his family are maintaining their official residence at the Naval Observatory.

In a statement, Vance’s personal attorney, Chris Ashby, said the vice president planned to pay market value for the property.

“The rent will be at fair market value, determined with reference to the rent for comparable properties in the area,” Ashby said.

Kuhn did not respond to a request for comment. The Washington Business Journal first reported that the vice president was leasing part of Kuhn’s Wolver Hill Farm.

Vance is the latest major political figure to establish a retreat near the small but well-heeled town of Middleburg, which has a population under 1,000 residents. Former President John F. Kennedy once owned an estate in the area, while former President Ronald Reagan once rented a home in the area to serve as a base of operations during his 1980 presidential campaign.

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Rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks reported in these 4 Virginia counties

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Rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks reported in these 4 Virginia counties


A rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks have been confirmed across four Virginia counties, according to the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District.

The rabid animals were found during the first quarter of 2026 in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.

RELATED | Person exposed to rabid cat in Chantilly

They included one bat and one skunk in Culpeper, three raccoons and one skunk in Fauquier, one skunk in Madison and one cat and one skunk in Orange. Officials said no human exposures have been reported.

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The health district said rabies is commonly found in Virginia wildlife, particularly raccoons, skunks and bats. Statewide, 117 animals tested positive for rabies during the first quarter of the year.

SEE ALSO | Flying bats reported near crowd at Maryland fireworks show, officials warn of health risk

Health officials are urging people to stay away from wild animals and unfamiliar pets, make sure dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and report animals acting strangely to local animal control.



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