WATCH LIVE: Virginia Governor’s Debate
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Watch the pre-debate special at 6:30 p.m., the full live debate beginning at 7 p.m., and our post-debate live programming in the player above on Oct. 9.
NORFOLK, Va. (Nexstar) — Former U.S. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger squares off with current Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in their only live debate in the race for Virginia governor on Oct. 9.
Spanberger is the Democratic nominee and Earle-Sears is the Republican candidate on the Nov. 4 ballot. Regardless of who wins, it will be a historic election as Virginia will elect its first female governor.
"Chasing History: The Race for Governor"
The exclusive debate is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. from the campus of Norfolk State University. The debate will question the candidates on a wide range of issues impacting Virginians.
Your Local Election Headquarters will be updating this live blog with the candidates' responses during the debate below:
Car Tax
Question: Ms. Earle-Sears, you have said you will axe the car tax in your first year in office, but you will have to replace the revenue for local governments. How will you come up with just over 3 billion dollars every year?
Earle-Sears:
Q: Ms. Earle-Sears, you have said you will axe the car tax in your first year in office, but you will have to replace the revenue for local governments. How will you come up with just over 3 billion dollars every year? #VAGovDebate
A: pic.twitter.com/OHR5C1BSfx— WAVY TV 10 (@WAVY_News) October 9, 2025
Question: Ms. Spanberger, you've said you'd like to get rid of the car tax. Will you make a commitment here tonight that you will make that a priority? And where do you intend to find the money for local governments every year if the tax is eliminated?
Spanberger:
Q: Ms. Spanberger, you've said you'd like to get rid of the car tax. Will you make a commitment here tonight that you will make that a priority? And where do you intend to find the money for local governments every year if the tax is eliminated? #VAGovDebate
A: pic.twitter.com/FTjx0Sbb4N— WAVY TV 10 (@WAVY_News) October 9, 2025
Two recent polls, from Emerson College Polling/The Hill and from Christopher Newport University's Wason Center, show Spanberger leading Earle-Sears 52% to 42% among likely voters.
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 Virginia Gubernatorial Debate Partner Stations
Debate Night in Virginia begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 with a countdown show on FOX43, WAVY.com and on WAVY's FREE streaming app WAVY+. The debate itself will air live at 7 p.m. on WAVY TV 10, FOX43, CW Hampton Roads, WAVY.com and WAVY+. We'll also provide a debate debrief live program at 8 p.m. available exclusively on WAVY+ and WAVY.com.
