STATEMENT: Spanberger Wins Debate

Washington, DC –  Tonight, following Abigail Spanberger’s winning debate performance, VoteVets released the following statement:

“Tonight, Abigail Spanberger proved what we already knew to be true – she is a strong leader who will always fight for Virginia families. Her opponent, Winsome Earle-Sears, showed once again she’s too weak to stand up to Donald Trump and his anti-Veteran administration that is wreaking havoc on hard working middle-class families. Virginia families – including the over 600,000 Veterans and over 120,000 active duty Servicemembers who call the Commonwealth home – can’t afford four years of Winsome Earle-Sears’ failed policies; they need a real leader like Abigail Spanberger – someone who has demonstrated she’s prepared to roll up her sleeves and actually get results.”

Background: 

VoteVets has invested over $1 million dollars in ads in Virginia, using Veterans direct to camera to call out the GOP on their failure to lead, their leaving Veterans behind, and their having no plans to make life easier and lower costs.

Earlier this year, VoteVets directly contributed $500,000 to Abigail Spanberger’s campaign, the largest direct contribution in its history. . As a national security professional who has been a VoteVets-endorsed candidate since her first Congressional run, when she flipped a competitive House seat, Spanberger became the recipient of the largest single donation in the 20-year history of VoteVets.

Virginia is home to over 600,000 Veterans and over 120,000 active duty Servicemembers. WATCH our endorsement video featuring one of those Veterans.

Last cycle alone, VoteVets spent $50 million helping to elect VoteVets-endorsed candidates. Our investments proved to be effective in helping candidates get across the finish line and we were able to see a success rate at a time when other Democrats were not as successful. Thanks in part to our investments, 143 VoteVets-endorsed candidates clinched victory amidst a global rightward lurch.