Virginia
Democrats, GOP test their playbooks as Trump looms over elections in N.J., Va.
There’s a similar dance playing out in Virginia.
In an interview, Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears didn’t hide her support for Trump or his agenda, although she focused on the president’s position on public safety when asked. Her campaign declined to answer directly when asked whether she wanted Trump to campaign in Virginia.
“When you ask me about the president’s agenda, I am going to support his agenda when it comes to crime every single day,” Earle-Sears told the AP.
An Earle-Sears spokesperson sent a follow-up statement after the interview: “Everyone knows Winsome Earle-Sears is fiercely independent, but she also knows when strong leadership delivers results. Winsome isn’t afraid to say it — when Trump puts America first, Virginians win.” A spokesperson later told the AP that Earle-Sears would welcome Trump on the campaign trail in Virginia.
Still, Earle-Sears expressed frustration that her opponents paint her as overly aligned with the White House or too far-right for Virginia. She argued that her opponent, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, hasn’t been tethered to former Democratic President Joe Biden the same way.
“Nobody talks about her connections with Biden,” she said.
The White House declined to answer questions about Trump’s plans in Virginia or New Jersey.
Democrats have challenges of their own
Spanberger and Sherrill are working to stay focused on voters’ economic concerns as costs surge and job growth stalls nationwide.
At the same time, Republicans are fighting to highlight the Democrats’ support for progressive cultural priorities — including LGBTQ rights — and the rise of far-left leaders such as New York City’s Democratic candidate for mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
Earle-Sears released an attack ad this week charging that Spanberger “is for they/them, not us,” while suggesting she supports policies that endanger children — an echo of Trump’s closing message last fall.
In a new ad of her own pushing back, Spanberger noted that she is a mother of three school-age children and a former law enforcement officer. When asked in an interview whether supporting transgender children is a priority, however, Spanberger offered a cautious answer.
“Protecting all people is a priority for me,” she said. “As governor, I will protect all children.”
Her focus on the economy, she said, reflects what she’s hearing from voters across Virginia. She invited Trump to visit the state to campaign with Earle-Sears.
“Let him come to Virginia and face the tens of thousands of people who he’s responsible for firing. Let him come to Virginia and answer for those Medicaid cuts,” she said.
In New Jersey, Sherrill has also tried to focus on economic concerns. Republicans have tried to link her to Mamdani, with Ciattarelli seizing on Sherrill’s past pledge to back the eventual Democratic nominee in the city.
Recently, however, the Democrat sought to distance herself from Mamdani. At an event this week unveiling her plan to freeze utility rates, Sherrill told reporters she won’t weigh in on the New York City election.
“I’m going to let the people of New York decide who their next mayor is going to be,” she said.
The Virginia Cavaliers clinched yet another conference win last night, this time against California. Overall, this has been a remarkable season for the Cavaliers thus far, with few hiccups along the way. Their latest victory came with a stunning 84-60 finish, but as the story goes, there are still areas that need attention. With that, let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of last night’s meeting.
The Good
The Cavaliers are undoubtedly more consistent on offense — they’ve encountered quite a few challenges defensively. However, last night appeared to be a bit of a turning point, said cautiously. The Golden Bears’ efforts with the ball were met with great resistance from UVA. Malik Thomas, in particular, has made strides on both sides of the ball, but his defensive improvements have been noteworthy. As head coach Ryan Odom stated during his postgame press conference:
“… I thought our guys did a nice job. The discipline was there for the majority of the night. They did get us on occasion, not on occasion, probably too many times at the end of drives with shot fakes, but for the most part, in that first 10 minutes of the second half, we were able to stop them in and around the rim and stay down. And they were kind of left with some really hard shots there, which allowed us to get out in transition. I thought our press was pretty good. Even though we didn’t get a lot of turnovers or anything like that, I thought our press, you know, was effective.”
The Bad
Although Virginia wrapped up the matchup with a 24-point lead, there were moments throughout the night in which leads were swapped between programs in the first quarter. Once the second half rolled around, the Golden Bears were unable to catch up. However, the brief moments that they did control the scoreboard could have cost UVA the game, and ultimately, another loss in the ACC.
“I’m not worried about the margin,” said Odom. “It’s more about how we’re playing. And I thought our guys played well tonight, you know, defensively, we’re trying to make strides. We’re trying to get better. The guys are focused on that. Offensively, we can’t lose that, you know, ability to really share the ball and put pressure on our opponents. And I think we’re improving.”
The Ugly
Much of the back-and-forth lead during the first quarter was due to Cal’s pressure. Their defense stayed on top of UVA, which ruffled some of the Cavaliers’ feathers on the court, forcing some turnovers along the way.
Odom described this situation by stating, “Cal was really bothering us with their defense, their aggressiveness, and stepping out and pick and roll, even though we didn’t have a ton of turnovers in that first half. We had five. There were still some bobbled balls. The ball was loose and a little bit too loose for us. And their pressure had a lot to do with that. The end of the half was really important for us, the execution on defense and offense to give us a little bit of a cushion there going into halftime.”
Virginia certainly encountered some difficulty last night, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t successfully navigate. Now, the Cavaliers are gearing up for their upcoming matchup against Stanford on Jan. 10 at John Paul Jones Arena. Will UVA capitalize on its opportunity to extend its ACC record to 3-1?
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Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie lifted Stanford over Virginia Tech with a game-winning, step-back 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to give the Cardinal a 69-68 win at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Jan. 7.
Okorie sized up his defender, Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas of Greece, before getting into his sweet spot and rising up.
Okorie scored 31 points, going 11-for-18 from the floor with four 3-pointers, including the go-ahead bucket. His four made from long-distance tied a collegiate career-high. He added six assists and had only one turnover.
Virginia Tech led 31-24 at the end of the first half. However, Stanford came out of the second half and switched gears. The Hokies were outscored in the second half 45-37.
Virginia Tech was led by Avdalas with 21 points. Hokies sophomore guard Ben Hammond scored 14 points off the bench.
Chisom Okpara had an off night for Stanford, scoring just four points on 1-of-11 shooting, but still the Cardinal would get some help in the scoring department from Donavin Young and Oskar Giltay, who chipped in with 11 and eight points, respectively.
Stanford continues its road trip with a visit to No. 23 Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 10. Virginia Tech has a home game Saturday against California.
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech: Ebuka Okorie hits game-winning shot
Hopwood & LaRue Catering and Events at the University of Lynchburg has been named a “2026 Top Wedding Vendor” by Virginia Living magazine.
Hopwood & LaRue was listed among Central Virginia vendors in the following categories: Catering, Venue-Event Space, and Venue-Gardens & Estates. For earning a top spot, vendors are listed in the digital “2026 Top Wedding Vendors” guide and receive a virtual badge to share on their website.
According to Virginia Living, the annual list spotlights “vendors who help make Virginia weddings truly unforgettable — from florists and photographers to venues, planners, and more. … This exclusive online list is a companion to ‘Weddings 2026,’ featured in our February issue, one of the year’s most anticipated editorial sections.”
Through Hopwood & LaRue Catering and Events couples can plan weddings at University-owned facilities, including Snidow Chapel and Claytor Nature Center’s Cloverlea Farmhouse.
The company also offers event planning and a full range of beverage and catering services, including vegan, vegetarian, and ethnic options, along with “special curated menus” designed to help clients “develop their ideal cocktail hour and reception dinner experience for themselves and their guests.”
Referring to the 491-acre Claytor Nature Center specifically, Marsh described a typical event: “On their special day, the wedding ceremony typically takes place at the reflection pond, which holds a magical view of Sharp Top and Flat Top mountains,” she said.
“Cocktail hour is then enjoyed [on] the ash lawn, and the reception dinner is later paired with desserts, drinks, and dancing under our extra-large, tented reception area. And the sunset views are just as exceptional as the dining experience.”
According to Marsh, Hopwood & LaRue’s wedding sales have “increased significantly in the past year, and our Cloverlea wedding bookings have quadrupled since 2025. We now have over a dozen weddings and events lined up at Cloverlea for 2026 and are excited to book more and also look ahead into 2027.”
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