Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican candidate for governor, 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 who arrived swiftly at the scene. The incident occurred as the bus was traveling on Route 33 near the Greene and Rockingham County lines, heading to a rally at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the blaze but could not prevent significant damage to the vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Democratic opponent Abigail Spanberger acknowledged the incident, saying she was relieved to hear Earle-Sears and her team were unharmed. She praised first responders and expressed concern for the lieutenant governor’s team following the “scary incident.” The two candidates have been engaged in a tightly contested race, with Spanberger leading in recent polls. The Democratic campaign faced scrutiny after revelations that Jay Jones, the party’s attorney general candidate, had sent messages in 2022 suggesting he wanted to harm Virginia’s House Speaker, a Republican. Earle-Sears has repeatedly called on Spanberger to address the controversy, but no action has been taken. Voters in Virginia have until Tuesday to cast their ballots in the pivotal election.