The 2025 race for Virginia governor finally brought the two leading candidates face-to-face. Former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee, and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee, met Thursday night in their only debate before Election Day.
2025 Virginia Governor’s Debate: Spanberger vs. Earle-Sears
When: Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Where: L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center, Norfolk State University
Full Video: Watch Below
Full Video – Virginia Governor’s Debate (Oct. 9)
Watch the full debate video below, courtesy of WFXR and YouTube:
How to Watch
The debate, hosted by WAVY-TV 10, is being carried exclusively by all of Nexstar Media Group’s local television stations and digital platforms serving the Commonwealth, including WRIC-TV in Richmond, WFXR-TV in Roanoke, DC News Now/WDCW-TV in Washington, D.C., and WJHL-TV and EJHL-TV in Tri-Cities, TN.
The evening event will be moderated by Tom Schaad of WAVY-TV and Deanna Allbrittin of WRIC, and broadcast live across Virginia through Nexstar television stations. Local affiliates, including WFXR, will also carry a livestream for voters to follow in real time.
Getting to this debate wasn’t simple. For months, both campaigns traded barbs over which invitations to accept. Spanberger had agreed to appear at the “People’s Debate” hosted at Virginia State University, but Earle-Sears declined. Meanwhile, Spanberger herself turned down a CNN-sponsored proposal, insisting debates should be hosted by Virginia outlets. That back-and-forth left this Norfolk State appearance as the only official matchup.
The pressure is on Spanberger. Earle-Sears is making this debate a battleground where her opponent must own her position on Fairfax County’s controversial transgender locker room rules. Earle-Sears has already criticized Spanberger for avoiding direct answers, and she will use every opportunity to tie Spanberger to policies allowing biological males in girls’ locker rooms. This point gained fresh attention after a complaint that a boy was watching girls change at West Springfield High School in Fairfax.
In the debate, Earle-Sears will press Spanberger to clarify: will she side with parental rights, biological sex protections, and Title IX enforcement, or continue the vagueness she has used so far?
For Virginia voters, October 9 will be a critical moment. It will be the night Spanberger must justify her record under scrutiny rather than rely on aspirational talking points.