Virginia
Va. statewide candidates differ widely on LGBTQ rights
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears ‘morally opposed’ to marriage equality
A gay talk show host and a politician “morally opposed” to marriage equality are just some of the candidates competing for Virginia’s statewide office elections on Nov. 4.
The six candidates competing for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general vary on LGBTQ policy largely by party lines. Recent polls find the three Democratic candidates maintain a collective lead.
According to Narissa Rahaman, the executive director of Equality Virginia, the outcome of the election will determine the probability of guaranteeing the freedom to marry in the Virginia constitution.
Equality Virginia is the state’s leading advocacy organization seeking LGBTQ equality.
“It’s imperative that we keep that forward momentum this November by supporting pro-equality candidates willing to defend Virginia against outrageous federal overreach,” Rahaman said.
Governor: Abigail Spanberger v. Winsome Earle-Sears
Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are battling to fill Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s vacancy.
Earle-Sears, an anti-LGBTQ Republican, provided vague responses in 2022 when pressed about whether she supports a marriage equality ban in the state’s constitution. Earle-Sears further misgendered state Sen. Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person elected to the Virginia Senate, by calling her “sir” during a floor debate session in 2024.
The lieutenant governor refused to apologize.
Spanberger, a Democrat and former U.S. House Representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, expressed her desire to protect LGBTQ rights on her campaign website and emphasized the need for resolute state leadership considering federal rollbacks of LGBTQ rights.
“Abigail Spanberger voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, co-sponsored the Equality Act three times and will be a governor for all Virginians who’s laser-focused on making Virginia more affordable for everyone,” Roem explained.
In June, Spanberger made a campaign stop at Arlington’s Freddie’s Beach Bar, a LGBTQ friendly establishment. Her supporters wore “Spanberger for Virginia” shirts in Pride-inspired color schemes. That same summer, Earle-Sears wrote a note opposing same-sex marriage when required to sign a law affirming marriage equality.
Polling from Christian Newport University on Sept. 18 found that Earle-Sears trails Spanberger by 12 points, with 52 percent of likely Virginian voters in favor of Spanberger.
The winner will be the state’s first woman governor.
Lieutenant governor: Ghazala Hashmi v. John Reid
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, a Democrat, expressed commitment to protecting LGBTQ people in the workplace, supported a bill to ban so-called conversation therapy, and backed nonbinary gender markers on drivers licenses.
Her Republican rival, John Reid, once described her as “radical.”
The host of a conservative talk show, Reid is the first openly gay person nominated for statewide office in Virginia. While in support of marriage equality, Reid pledged to vote against an amendment enshrining marriage equality in the state constitution.
Reid also denies the existence of trans people on his campaign website.
After securing the GOP nomination, Reid told the Washington Blade that extending gay rights to trans protections leads to “losing support that we worked very diligently for decades to build with the average person.”
Youngkin asked Reid to withdraw his candidacy this past spring following allegations that Reid posted pornographic images on social media. In a response video, Reid described the request as a “coordinated assassination attempt” due to his sexuality.
CNU found that Hashmi leads Reid by 11 points among likely voters.
Attorney general: Jason Miyares v. Jay Jones
Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is running for reelection against former state Del. Jay Jones. In terms of their stances on the trans community, “the contrast is clear,” according to Roem.
Jones, a Democrat, co-sponsored bills prohibiting the limitation of health coverage based on gender identity and supports repealing the state’s statutory same sex marriage ban. In comparison, Miyares joined an interstate effort to prevent the expansion of Title IX protections intended to protect LGBTQ students. Further, in 2023, Miyares enforced state guidelines for schools to “defer to parents” when determining students’ names, pronouns, gender expression, and more.
“I’ve won four campaigns in which the Republicans ran on anti-trans messaging, including defeating the self-described ‘chief homophobe’ of Virginia (then-state Del. Bob Marshall) who authored the bathroom bill in 2017,” Roem said. “I’ve seen this strategy fail in Virginia elections four times before and I expect the same outcome this Nov. 4.”
CNU finds that Jones leads Miyares by seven points among likely voters.
Virginians can register to vote online, by mail or in person. Residents register on the same day during early voting, which opened on Sept. 19, or by submitting a provisional ballot at an assigned polling location on Election Day.
A gay man was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Saamel and Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate Sanchez-McCray, 42, was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray shot to death inside a home in Petersburg.
Sanchez-McCray’s brother, Jamal Mitchell Diamond, in a public statement the Washington Blade received from Equality Virginia and GLAAD, said Sanchez-McCray was not transgender as initial reports indicated.
“Our family has always embraced the fullness of who he was. He used the names Saamel, Shyyell, and Mable interchangeably, and we honor all of them. There is no division within our family regarding how he is being represented — only a shared commitment to preserving his truth with love and respect,” said Diamond.
“He was also deeply committed to community work through Nationz Foundation, where he worked and completed multiple state-certified programs to support marginalized communities,” added Diamond. “That work meant a great deal to him.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
Virginia
Va. lawmakers consider partial restoration of Ryan White funds
State Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million from Part B program
The Virginia General Assembly is considering the partial restoration of HIV funding that the state’s Department of Health cut last year.
The Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million — or 67 percent of total funding — from the Ryan White Part B program.
The funding cuts started with the Trump-Vance administration passing budget cuts to federal HIV screening and protection programs. Rebate issues between the Virginia Department of Health and the company that provides HIV medications began.
Advocates say the funding cuts have disproportionately impacted lower-income people.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a federal program started in 1990, provides medical services, public education, and essential services. Part B offers 21 services, seven of which remained funded after the budget cuts.
Equality Virginia notes “in 2025, a 67 percent reduction severely destabilized HIV services across the commonwealth.”
Virginia lawmakers have approved two bills — House Bill 30 and Senate Bill 30 — that would partially restore the funding. The Ryan White cuts remain a concern among community members.
Both chambers of the General Assembly must review their proposed changes before lawmakers can adopt the bills.
“While these amendments aren’t a full restoration of what community-based organizations lost, this marks a critical step toward stabilizing care for thousands of Virginians living with HIV,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “Equality Virginia plans to continue their contact with lawmakers and delegates through the conference and up until the passing of the budget.”
“We appreciate lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who recognized the urgency of this moment and will work to ensure funding remains in the final version signed by the governor,” added Rahaman.
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