President Donald Trump voiced his support for Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, calling her an “excellent” candidate ahead of the state’s upcoming gubernatorial election against Democrat Abigail Spanberger.

While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump was asked if he planned to issue a formal endorsement in the race.

The President said he has not been heavily involved in the Virginia election but expressed confidence in Earle-Sears and criticism toward her opponent.

“I think the Republican candidate is very good, and I think she should win because the Democrat candidate’s a disaster,” Trump told reporters.

“I think the Republican candidate is excellent, and I think the Democrat candidate is a disaster.”

Trump went on to mention the candidates’ recent debate, saying he believed Spanberger “couldn’t answer the most basic question.”

He also tied energy policy to both the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, predicting higher prices under Democrat leadership.

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“A big thing with that race and also the race in New Jersey, is going to be energy,” Trump said.

“Both of the Democrats are going to drive the energy prices through the roof — through the roof. Your energy is going to double and triple. If the Republican gets elected, your energy is going to be coming down by 70, 80 percent. Thank you very much, everybody, vote Republican.”

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump calls on all Virginians to vote for WINSOME SEARS for governor, and New Jerseyans to vote JACK CIATTARELLI

“[Sears] is very good! She SHOULD win. Because the Democrat is a disaster…the Republican candidate is EXCELLENT.”

“I watched [Abigail… pic.twitter.com/2od3ZrYtTk

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 20, 2025

Reporters also asked Trump about Jay Jones, the Democrat nominee for Virginia attorney general, following remarks Jones made during a debate with current Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Jones had said he could not “wait to see Donald Trump in court and protect Virginia to put us first,” while calling on Miyares to “prosecute the president.”

Asked to respond to those comments, Trump described Jones as a “third-rate intellect.”

“He’s a third-rate intellect,” Trump said. “He’s a guy … I’ve never seen anybody say what he said — that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children, he wanted to kill his opponent. I can’t imagine anybody voting for Jay Jones.”

The President was referring to text messages obtained by the National Review in which Jones made violent remarks about Virginia Republican leaders.

According to the outlet, on August 8, 2022, Jones sent messages to Virginia House Delegate Carrie Coyner (R) in which he imagined a hypothetical scenario involving shooting two dictators or former Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert (R), writing that he would shoot Gilbert twice.

Later text messages between Jones and Coyner reportedly included comments about Gilbert’s family, with Jones writing about “Gilbert’s children dying in the arms of their mother.”

The messages surfaced as Jones faced scrutiny during his attorney general campaign, with Republican leaders citing them as evidence of unfit character for statewide office.

Trump’s remarks mark one of his first public comments about the Virginia gubernatorial and attorney general races this cycle.

Earle-Sears, who made history in 2021 as Virginia’s first Black woman elected statewide, has emphasized lowering taxes, strengthening energy independence, and boosting small business growth.