Newly surfaced Spanberger clip becomes flashpoint in Virginia governor race as deadly ICE shooting draws scrutiny

A newly unearthed clip of Democrat Abigail Spanberger's June remarks has become a flashpoint in Virginia's governor's race, as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears used the video to argue that Spanberger embraces violent rhetoric. The clip, circulating days after a sniper shot into the Sally Port of a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, shows Spanberger describing a mindset that encourages action by letting anger drive political energy and urging supporters to translate outrage into civic activity; two people were killed and others wounded in the attack, with bullets reportedly bearing anti-ICE slogans.

Earle-Sears posted the video to X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, "Rage. That’s what Abigail Spanberger is calling for," tying the remarks to Spanberger's campaign and the broader national climate. Spanberger's team dismissed the clip as out of context and said she does not support violence. "Abigail has and will continue to condemn comments that attempt to make light of or justify violence of any kind — full stop," a Spanberger spokeswoman told Fox News Digital.

During the June event, Spanberger closed her remarks with a story about telling her mother she was frustrated with politics; her mother offered advice that became the centerpiece of the moment. "And so, Mom, I love you. I thank you for the sage advice. And to the rest of us, every time we hear a new story, we let it fuel us," Spanberger said. She continued, "Every time something happens in the world, in this country, coming out of Capitol Hill or coming out of this White House, we just say ‘boy am I motivated today.’" The clip has drawn renewed attention as Spanberger seeks to position herself as a bipartisan problem-solver in a race against Earle-Sears, who has framed the contest around crime, immigration and Virginia's political direction.

The broader political environment surrounding the clip includes a contentious dynamic in Virginia's race. Earlier this month, a protest at an Arlington event opposing Earle-Sears' stance on transgender bathroom policy drew attention after a demonstrator displayed a sign invoking water-fountain imagery, a moment cited by some critics as an example of heightened rhetoric around civil rights-era issues. Spanberger's campaign has emphasized her record of working across party lines and her focus on policy outcomes rather than incendiary rhetoric, while Earle-Sears has sought to tie Spanberger to policies that she argues would expand government reach and strain public services.

The Dallas ICE facility shooting, in which a sniper fired into the Sally Port and killed two people while wounding others, has intensified the political backdrop. Investigators described the attack as a targeted act of violence tied to anti-ICE sentiment, though officials have not connected the incident to broader political rhetoric directly. Still, the episode has been used by Spanberger's opponents to question the tone of political discourse, even as Spanberger's campaign reiterates that disagreements over policy should never justify violence.

In a statement responding to the new clip, Spanberger's campaign reiterated that she has long encouraged constructive engagement and civic participation. A spokesperson noted that Spanberger condemned violence in the wake of political disagreements and highlighted her history of bipartisan collaboration on issues such as national security, the economy, and health care. The campaign also emphasized that Spanberger's remarks about channeling anger into action were part of a broader message about perseverance and democratic participation, not calls for violence.

Virginia voters will continue to weigh how candidates talk about anger, protest, and policy in a year that has seen sharp partisan divides intensify across the country. While the newly surfaced clip has illuminated a moment from Spanberger's past, her campaign and supporters contend it has been taken out of context and that her focus remains on policy goals and practical governance. Earle-Sears and her supporters, meanwhile, argue that the remarks illustrate a broader tolerance for aggressive rhetoric in political life and align with their campaign themes about safety, border policy, and state leadership.

Two images accompanying the reporting illustrate the current moment in Virginia politics:

Later in the piece, a second image shows the candidate pair and their supporters as the race intensifies.