Fri Sep 05 02:40:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Earle-Sears Ad Attacks Spanberger on LGBTQ+ Rights, Sparks Outrage**

RICHMOND, VA – Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears is facing criticism for a new television ad targeting her opponent, Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, over her support for LGBTQ+ rights. The ad falsely links Spanberger’s vote for the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, to a convicted sex offender, Richard Cox, claiming Spanberger believes Cox has a right to undress next to young girls.

Cox, who is a registered sex offender, was charged in 2024 with indecent exposure at a school after exposing himself in front of a mother and her daughter in a swimming pool locker room. Cox now claims to be a trans woman, but that is completely irrelevant to the current charges.

Earle-Sears has amplified the false claims on her Facebook page, stating Spanberger “voted to give him the right to be there.” This claim has been widely condemned as a distortion of Spanberger’s record and a dangerous misrepresentation of the Equality Act.

Spanberger’s views on LGBTQ+ rights are largely supported by the American public. According to a 2024 poll, 75% of Americans, including 62% of Republicans, support policies that protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation.

Earle-Sears has a history of anti-LGBTQ+ statements. In a 2004 candidate survey, she called homosexuality an “immoral lifestyle choice” and opposed workplace protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. She also declined to say whether she would support reimposing a ban on same-sex marriage.

Earle-Sears’ campaign has also accepted endorsements from clergy members who have described LGBTQ+ people as “sinful” and compared them to pedophiles.

The Earle-Sears campaign is being funded by donations from Dominion Energy, Altria, and the Republican Governors Association (RGA). The RGA has received donations from companies like Comcast, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.

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