Virginia
Va. election to determine future of LGBTQ rights in state
Democrat Abigail Spanberger ahead in race to succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Virginia will hold elections on Nov. 4 for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the House of Delegates. A “moral opposition” to marriage equality and anti-transgender advertisements, among other things, have shaped current polling numbers and the election’s relevance to LGBTQ voters.
With one week before election day, Democrats may face a split ticket result, considering former state Del. Jay Jones’s text message scandal that shook up the attorney general race.
Governor: Abigail Spanberger v. Winsome Earle-Sears
Democratic former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are competing for the governor’s office. Spanberger leads Earle-Sears by seven points among Virginia’s likely voters, according to an Oct. 27 poll by Christian Newsport University.
Earle-Sears declared during the gubernatorial debate that opposing marriage equality and employment protections for the LGBTQ community is “not discrimination.” The candidate also holds a “moral opposition” to marriage equality.
Spanberger, supported by former President Barack Obama and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, holds a record of supporting LGBTQ rights, specifically in co-sponsoring the Equality Act, which would enshrine non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in federal law.
An ad from Restoration of America PAC, a collection of conservative groups, describes Spanberger “as extreme as it gets” because of her stance on trans rights.
Lieutenant governor: Ghazala Hashmi v. John Reid
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi holds a two point lead against Republican John Reid, according to the CNU poll. The Democrat’s advantage narrowed from a previous 48-39 percent lead.
Reid, a conservative talk show host, is the first openly gay person nominated for a Virginian statewide office. The candidate, however, denies the existence of trans people on his campaign website and has pledged to vote against a constitutional amendment that would protect marriage equality in Virginia.
Reid earlier in the campaign faced calls from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who Virginia law prevents from running for a consecutive term, and others to drop out after pornographic images he allegedly posted on social media emerged.
Hashmi’s record includes supporting marriage equality protections and sponsoring a bill to protect doctors who provide gender-affirming healthcare to patients who don’t live in Virginia.
Attorney general: Jay Jones v. Jason Miyares
Incumbent Republican Jason Miyares holds a one point lead against Jones, according to the CNU poll conducted after the text message scandal. The National Review earlier this month published screenshots of Jones texting a colleague about a scenario in which he shot former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a Republican.
The publication of the August 2022 conversation led to President Donald Trump demanding Jones to drop out of the race, Spanberger expressing “disgust” toward him, and Earle-Sears encouraging voters to “reject the insanity.”
Jones still holds 91 percent support among Democrats, although the number is a drop from a previous CNU poll that found 96 percent of Democrats backed him.
House of Delegates
All 100 Virginia House of Delegates seats are on the ballot. The CNU poll finds that, upon asking likely voters the party for which they intend to vote, Democrats hold an eight point lead over Republican candidates.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a political action committee seeking to increase LGBTQ political power, has endorsed eight House candidates: State Dels. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County), Laura Jane Cohen (D-Fairfax County), Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg), Marcia Price (D-Newport News), Adele McClure (D-Arlington County), and Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) and Lindsey Dougherty and Risë Hayes.
Dougherty and Hayes are both challenging Republican incumbents in District 75 and 52, respectively.
Victory Fund President Evan Low said LGBTQ representation is “about improving lives and sharing critical lived experiences.”
“In this time when LGBTQ+ identity is under attack, we are proud to have a strong, powerful coalition of delegates on the ballot this November,” Low said.
Daniel Hernández, the organization’s vice president of political programs, added state legislatures offer a more “direct and tangible” pathway to change.
“To know that LGBTQ+ Victory Fund is working alongside this amazing slate of candidates working to grow our LGBTQ+ caucus in the Virginia House of Delegates, with several incumbents up for reelection, shows the power and impact of LGBTQ+ representation and how it’s working for Virginians,” Hernández said.
Narissa Rahaman is the executive director of Equality Virginia Advocates, the advocacy branch of Equality Virginia, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group.
Rahaman said the candidates elected on Nov. 4 will dictate the progress of LGBTQ rights and amending the state constitution to protect marriage equality, reproductive freedom, and voting rights.
“As national guards are mobilized into neighboring states and cities, as communities are disrupted by increasingly militant ICE raids, as federal funding is used to threaten public education and healthcare institutions into submission, Virginia’s greatest hope of fighting back in the coming years will be ensuring we elect pro-equality candidates to the House of Delegates and statewide offices,” Rahaman said.
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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