Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears accepted their invitations to participate in the Oct. 9 statewide gubernatorial debate hosted by WAVY-10 and Norfolk State University.

The poll, which surveyed 702 Virginia residents from August 11 to August 15, 2025, found Spanberger leading Earle-Sears by seven points (46 percent to 39 percent), a narrower margin than the 17-point lead Spanberger held in the May poll (43 percent to 26 percent).

Democrat Abigail Spanberger holds a 7-point lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in the race for Virginia governor, according to a new Roanoke College Poll that shows the contest tightening since the spring.