‘Do your job’: Sears challenges Dems to end shutdown, Spanberger points to Trump

Throughout a very heated change throughout Thursday night time’s gubernatorial debate in Virginia, Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears challenged her opponent to ship a pointy message to the state’s two Democratic senators — “Do your job” — and vote to finish the federal government shutdown.

Earle-Sears slammed her opponent, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, for not doing extra to induce the state’s two Democratic senators, Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, to finish the shutdown, which has affected lots of of hundreds of federal and army employees residing in Virginia.

“My opponent has been enjoying political soccer with federal workers all summer time by making an attempt to say she loves them greater than anybody else. Nicely, let me let you know what love seems like. It seems like Abigail is looking Senators Kaine and Warner and telling them, ‘Return, do your job and vote in opposition to a authorities shutdown,'” Earle-Sears stated.

“We solely want eight Democratic senators, that is all we want, and we won’t discover eight. And but we are able to discover two in Virginia. When are you going to publicly say to Senators Kaine and Warner, ‘Go do your job and hold federal employees working?’ Earle-Sears went additional.

SPANBERGER DEFENDS ABORTION AND CRITICIZES SEARS AFTER BERNIE WARNS ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING THE PROBLEM

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Rep. Abigail Spanberger confronted off in a gubernatorial debate Thursday night time. (Pool/Getty Photos)

“That is the way in which you cease the shutdown, as a result of proper now they, particularly our army, should work with none pay,” she stated. “I am a veteran of america Marines and it is undoubtedly tough, particularly within the enlisted ranks, to work with out pay.”

She added, “You are able to do one thing about that. You are the one who talked about all that love. Nicely, present love, hold them of their lane.”

Spanberger, in the meantime, stated, “Everybody from Virginia, the toughest hit state in a time of shutdown, whereas our communities endure from months of DOGE assaults on our federal workforce, everybody in Virginia ought to come collectively and urge the President to restart negotiations.”

She accused Earle-Sears of “failing to face up for Virginia employees” as lieutenant governor, particularly throughout the Trump administration’s DOGE cuts.

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Winsome Earle-Sears of Virginia speaks to the gang throughout a rally to announce that she is going to search her celebration’s nomination for governor of Virginia in 2025 at Chick’s Oyster Bar in Virginia Seashore, Virginia, September 5, 2024. (Kristen Zeis/The Washington Publish through Getty Photos)

“Proper now, because the federal workforce and contract employees and communities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia endure from this authorities shutdown, this solely compounds the problem they face after months and months of assaults from this White Home beneath DOGE,” Spanberger stated.

“All this time,” she continued, “my opponent has made gentle of the truth that federal employees are shedding their jobs, saying it is no huge deal and everyone seems to be shedding their jobs.”

Requested whether or not she would urge Kaine and Warner to vote to finish the shutdown, Spanberger stated, “I might encourage everybody, our Democratic Senators, our Democratic Home members, our Republican Home members to work collectively and make an effort to return again to the desk.”

Requested whether or not she would ask President Donald Trump to work on a compromise to finish the shutdown, Earle-Sears stated, “The president has already stated he would.”

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS REJECTS SPANBERGER PLAN TO UNDO VIRGINIA’S ICE PACT: ‘THIS IS NOT HARD’

Democratic Get together of Virginia nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger speaks to the gang throughout an occasion supporting her candidacy on the Japanese Henrico Recreation Middle in Richmond, Virginia, on April 8, 2025. (Max Posner/The Washington Publish/Getty Photos)

“However , earlier than something will get to the president, it is now within the Senate. The Home Republicans have voted, and it is within the Senate. And all we have to get to the president so the shutdown ends is eight Senate Democrats. That is precisely it, eight Senate Democrats. And we won’t discover one as a result of they’re enjoying political soccer, such as you’ve been doing all this time, Abigail,” she stated.

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“Love is a verb. It is a present me. It is a doing. Love is just not closure,” she continued. “When are you going to ask Senator Kaine and Warner to please hold federal employees on the job?”