AMNA NAWAZ: Virginians heads of the polls this# coming Tuesday, voting for the state's next## governor.

But the results may also serve as a# referendum on the president's first 10 months## in office and offer clues of what to expect# across the country in next year's midterms.

Liz Landers catches up with# the candidates and the voters.

LIZ LANDERS: As Virginia schools# kick off homecoming celebrations,## just beyond the goalposts, the state's off-year## race for governor plays out along the# sidelines and at the tailgate parties.

We're at Hampton University .

This is a# historically Black college in the Tidewater region## in Virginia.

And Abigail Spanberger is campaigning# here today during their homecoming weekend.

She's doing what she's done for# the better part of the year.

REP.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA),# Gubernatorial Candidate: Hi.

I'm Abigail.

LIZ LANDERS: Introducing herself to voters and# keeping the focus on healt.. Spanberger is a former CIA analyst who won a seat## in Congress in 2018 in a district that# hadn't elected a Democrat in decades.

REP.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: I'm proud# of the work that I did in the bills## I had signed into law, and all# of it took coalition building.

LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS (R-VA), Gubernatorial# Candidate: I see all my rowdy friends are here.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: A f.. LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS:# Abigail voted not to send those## who are criminals and illegally here home.

LIZ LANDERS: ... Winsome Earle-Sears is running as# an ally of Donald Trump.

A Marine Corps veteran,## Earle-Sears made history four years ago# when she became the first woman of color## elected to a statewide office as lieutenant# governor on a ticket with Glenn Youngkin.

MAN: And the next governor of the# great Commonwealth of Virginia!

LIZ LANDERS: The Republican gubernatorial# nominee is running on the Youngkin economy,## a simple message, to keep a good thing# going, and by leaning into culture war## issues that swept Republicans into office four# years ago and turned Northern Virginia school## board meetings into fights over parental rights# on transgender students in bathrooms and sports.

MAN: I am disgusted by your# victory and your depravity.

LIZ LANDERS: Recent bullying doesn't show the# issue resonating as deeply with voters this year,## earlier this month, at a school# board meeting, mostly empty seats.

But Earle-Sears has still made trans# issues a major focus of her campaign.

NARRATOR: She voted to allow men in# girls' sports, bathrooms and locker rooms.

Matt Malone is running for Loudoun# County School Board.

A parent of two,## the battles over parents rights# four years ago inspired him to run.

MATT MALONE (R), Loudoun County School# Board Candidate: (OFF-MIKE) issue,## no boys in girls spaces.

WOMAN: Agree on that.

MATT MALONE: You agree on that?

WOMAN: Yes.

MATT MALONE: Tha.. Don't hate anybody and don't judge# anybody.

But there are boundaries.

My daughter wants to play sports.

She's# 9.

She wants to play volleyball and## basketball and I want her to feel safe# in the locker room and the bathroom.

LIZ LANDERS: Malone likes what# he hears from Earle-Sears.

MATT MALONE: I think that she# has a backbone of steel.

And we## need someone who can fight for# kids in the governor's office.

LIZ LANDERS: The Williams# Institute estimates that,## in Virginia, 18,200 youths age 13 to 17,# or 3 percent, identify as transgender.

MICHAEL BROWN, Spanberger Supporter: I don't## really agree with boys in the sh.. LIZ LANDERS: It's an issue even some# Democrats express concern about.

What is your message to Democrats on this issue?

REP.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: There's nothing# more important than the safety of all of## our children.

And I do believe that so# many of the decisions that we're talking## about are best made at the local level by# parents, by teachers, by administrators.

LIZ LANDERS: But it's the economy that# she says needs her most urgent attention,## with unemployment rates going up and the# federal government shutdown now in its fifth## week looming over this race.

About 320,000# federal government workers live in Virginia.

Daniel Davis was one of them until he# was fired by Elon Musk's DOGE in July.

DANIEL DAVIS, Former Federal Worker: It's been# a very challenging time.

I have been working on## health policy for older adults and people with# disabilities for the past 15 years.

And to not## be able to be serving those people and helping# them to get the care they need really hurts.

LIZ LANDERS: He believes Spanberger cares# more about the plight of federal workers,## and that's why he's backing her.

DANIEL DAVIS: Abigail Spanberger, as# a former federal worker, really sees## federal workers.

She gets the sacrifices# we have made, the challenges that we face.

LIZ LANDERS: Meanwhile, Earle-Sears# blames Democrats for the shutdown.

My question for you, though, is,# should the Trump administration## continue to shrink the federal# work force through any mechanism?

LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: My question# is, where are the five Democrats that we## need to keep the federal workers in their# jobs so that they can pay their bills?

LIZ LANDERS: But for many voters, this race is not## just about the two women on the ballot.# It's about the man in the White House.

WOMAN: For me, Trump is a factor.

Enough said.

MAN: I personally wish he wasn't making# news every day and confusing everyone.

WOMAN: I am worried about our democracy, and# I'm worried about authoritarianism right now.

You positioned yourself as a consensus builder,## someone who works across the aisle.

Would you work# with President Trump on areas like job creation?

REP.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: I think that you don't# work with the arsonist who burns down the house## to rebuild it.

And in this particular case, the# individual who's responsible for an absolute## attack on the federal work force is not the# right person to help rebuild our economy.

LIZ LANDERS: Earle-Sears is fighting an# uphill battle.

Only one time in the last## 50 years has Virginia elected a governor of# the same political party as the president.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the# United States: Well, I think## the Republican can.. LIZ LANDERS: President Trump has# not formally endorsed Earle-Sears.

Would that be helpful, do you think, for you# if the president was out campaigning for you?

LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: Well,# of course.

That's a good strategy,## don't you think?

Of course.

VICTORIA NICHOLLS, Earle-Sears Supporter:# There's so much talk of Trump.

Trump's .. staying out of it.

And he should, because# you know what?

This ticket can run Virginia.

LIZ LANDERS: Another wild card?

A# blockbuster story downballot about## a series of violent text messages# sent several years ago by Jay Jones,## the Democrat running for attorney# general in Virginia.

In the messages,## Jones described the former Republican speaker# of the House hypothetically being assassinated.

REP.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: The comments that# Jay Jones made are absolutely abhorrent.

LIZ LANDERS: Jones has apologized and expressed## remorse.

Spanberger has denounced# the texts, but not the candidate.

LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: When are you going## to take Jay Jones and .. LIZ LANDERS: No matter who wins Tuesday,## history will be made.

Virginia has never# elected a woman governor until now.

For the "PBS News Hour,"# I'm Liz Landers in Virginia.