Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears reported that her campaign bus caught fire while en route to an event on Thursday. “Everyone is safe,” she stated, expressing gratitude to first responders for their swift action. The incident occurred as the bus traveled along Route 33 near the Greene and Rockingham County lines, damaging the vehicle but resulting in no injuries.
The Democratic opponent of Earle-Sears, Abigail Spanberger, also acknowledged the event, stating her relief at the safety of the candidate and her team. “I’m grateful to our first responders for their quick action,” she said, adding that she was thinking of the Lt. Governor and her team following the incident.
The race between Earle-Sears and Spanberger has been marked by intense scrutiny, with the Democrat currently leading in recent polls. The controversy extended beyond the candidates themselves after revelations surfaced about text messages sent by Jay Jones, the Democratic attorney general candidate, in 2022 suggesting he wished to harm Virginia’s House Speaker at the time. Earle-Sears confronted Spanberger on the issue during a debate, urging her to push Jones to withdraw, though no such action has been taken.
Virginia voters are set to cast their ballots by Tuesday, as the state joins New Jersey and New York in upcoming elections.
