If you think the television, radio and online advertising in the Virginia governor’s race is increasingly negative, you’re not alone.

With the election a mere three weeks away, Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are doing their best to link their opponent to the most negative elements of their national parties, according to a political communications expert from Virginia Tech.

“The thing about negative advertising is that everyone says they don’t like it, but the reason why we have negative ads is because they work,” said Cayce Myers, director of graduate studies in the school of communications at Virginia Tech.

The Republican lieutenant governor has flooded the airwaves with ads focused on the cultural divide that helped President Donald Trump win the presidency last fall, casting Spanberger as unwilling to protect Virginia’s children from sexual predators.

Earle-Sears’ team even replicated some of the same messaging used against former Vice President Kamala Harris, saying Spanberger is “for they/them, not for us.”

“They work because it allows people to frame their opponent in a particular way,” Myers told WTOP. “It also allows them to build a narrative in the election. And we know that people just in general respond, in a political sense, more to negative than to positive.”

Myers said Republicans want the election to be a referendum on far-left progressive politics, especially parental rights and education. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats want the election to be about the chaos of Trump’s administration, including the government shutdown.

“There’s a lot to be said for people who are motivated to vote against someone than to vote for someone,” Myers said. “That’s one of the reasons why the race has become much more negative than we normally see.”

He pointed to last week’s debate in which Earle-Sears continuously interrupted Spanberger in an attempt to throw her off balance and make an unintentional comment, despite being admonished by the moderators.

“It’s this kind of off-the-cuff remark that a lot of politicians seize upon that they can then repackage into advertising and also leverage for viral content,” he said. “I don’t think (Earle-Sears) really got that.”

Spanberger faced forward throughout the debate, avoided eye contact and rarely addressed Earle-Sears directly. She did not speak during Earle-Sears’ answers, even when her opponent asked direct questions, resulting in moments of awkward silence.

In any case, Virginia’s gubernatorial campaign will be historic, as it could result in the first woman being elected the Commonwealth’s 75th governor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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October 13, 2025

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (October 13, 2025) – Regent University School of Law achieved a 97.06% first-time bar passage rate on the July 2025 Virginia Bar Exam—the second-highest in the Commonwealth, just behind the University of Virginia and well above the average pass rate of 89% among Virginia law schools. These recent bar results continue Regent Law’s record of strong outcomes and steady growth.

“These results reflect the diligence of our graduates and the steadfast investment of our faculty in preparing students not only for professional excellence but for lives of service to God and neighbor,” said S. Ernie Walton, Interim Dean of Regent Law. “We praise God for this extraordinary outcome and for the opportunity to see our alumni answer His calling on their lives.”

Regent Law’s success builds on its growing national reputation as the fastest-rising law school in the country (U.S. News & World Report, 2022–26), tied for the best law school in the nation for Human Rights Law, and the No. 1 law school for first-time Virginia bar passage last year.

For more information about Regent University School of Law, visit www.regent.edu/law.

About Regent Law

Regent Law equips students to serve as purpose-driven, practice-ready attorneys grounded in timeless legal principles. More than 3,800 alumni practice in all 50 states and over 20 countries, including 38 currently serving as judges. In 2024, Regent ranked #94 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report—the fastest-rising law school in the nation from 2022 to 2026. Regent Law also achieved the highest first-time bar passage rate in Virginia on the 2024 exam and ranked 39th in the nation for first-time bar passage overall. Additional honors include a tie for 2nd in the nation for professor accessibility and 9th for teaching quality according to Princeton Review. It offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights, an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies, and an online B.A. in Law.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with over 13,000 students studying on its 100-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online worldwide. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program In Virginia for 13 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2025) and the #1 Best Christian College in America (Bible College Online, 2025).

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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — According to a study by the Wildlife Center of Virginia, Virginia ranks ninth in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions.

Although West Virginia ranks number one in deer-vehicle collisions, Virginia falls eight places behind our neighboring state at nine.

These collisions are most common during November, October and December months, especially during dusk and dawn hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. when deer are most active, per the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

The department says that deer whistles have not been proven effective when it comes to preventing collisions.

Here are some steps provided by the Virginia Department of Wildlife, that drivers can take if involved in a deer-vehicle related collision.

• Pull over, turn on hazards and shine the headlights onto the animal.
• Call 911
• Check passengers for injuries: even if there are no injuries shock can occur fast.
•  If it’s cold, put on warmer clothing immediately — shock or fear increases the inability to ward off cold
• Avoid going near the deer as it may kick out of fear or pain, and can severely injury you. The deer may also be in a state of shock and can panic if touched or moved by a human.
• If the deer is blocking the road: use your hazard lights and headlights and keep your car stationary. Only attempt to move the animal if you are 100% certain that it is dead.

For more safety tips you can visit the Wildlife Center of Virginia’s website.