Abigail Spanberger launches her first TV ad in Virginia governor's race
Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger is launching her first TV ad of the 2025 Virginia governor's race, detailing her background as she ramps up her campaign in one of the most closely watched elections of the year.
'Too many politicians talk when they should listen and divide instead of unite. Enough is enough,' Spanberger says in the 60-second spot, shared first with NBC News. She also highlights her experience in the CIA and her time in Congress, stressing her work with both parties.
Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, with governor's races this year, and both will be viewed as early indicators of the political environment ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Spanberger faces Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, as neither party has a contested primary for the nomination.
Spanberger's new ad will air in the Richmond and Norfolk media markets, and her campaign is spending $141,00 so far on the ad buy, bringing the campaign's ad spending to $643,000, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact.
In the ad, Spanberger pledges to 'work to lower costs, let people keep more of their money and make Virginia schools the best in the nation,' adding that she is a mother of three girls who attend public schools. The ad also briefly refers to local news coverage of unemployment claims in Virginia "skyrocketing" as the Trump administration has slashed the size of the federal government. The layoffs could be an issue in the governor's race, as the commonwealth is home to scores of federal workers.
Earle-Sears has already hit the airwaves, having spent $873,000 so far on two TV ads also touting her background. Her latest spot launched Wednesday, detailing her service in the Marines and her work with GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits.
'If you want another typical politician, look to Washington, but if you want a United States Marine who will always fight for Virginia. I'd be honored to have your vote,' Earle-Sears says in the ad.
Democrats have found success at the federal level in Virginia in recent elections, but the governor's race is expected to be competitive. Trump lost the commonwealth by 6 percentage points in November, a 4-point improvement on his 2020 margin. Youngkin won his first term in 2021 by 2 points.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Netanyahu will obliterate Iran's nuke empire on his own terms – and could snub Trump in final plan to cement legacy
for months to clear the path for a major strike on Iran An IDF source told The Sun they had worked for months to clear the path for a major strike on Iran ENEMY NUMBER ONE Netanyahu will obliterate Iran's nuke empire on his own terms – and could snub Trump in final plan to cement legacy Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BENJAMIN Netanyahu is plotting to bomb Iran as it is his "main goal for his legacy" to destroy its nuclear scheme, his ex-advisor said. But government insiders in Europe have echoed Donald Trump's warning not to undermine talks with Tehran and strike without US backing. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Iran test fires a long-range S-200 missile in the port city of Bushehr Credit: AP 7 Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured in Jerusalem last week, wants to blitz Iran Credit: AP 7 It comes as the UN's nuclear watchdog revealed that Iran has secretly amassed near weapons-grade levels of uranium and could soon have enough for nine bombs. Israeli PM Netanyahu has been making preparations behind the scenes to swiftly blitz Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities as he deems the country "enemy number one". Trump, however, has firmly insisted Israel take no action that could jeopardise his administration's efforts to thrash out a deal with Iran. It culminated in a heated phone call this week between the leaders as they continue to clash on how to curb Tehran's nuke programme, sources said. The Sun reported in April how Israel was poised to unleash a huge strike on Iran within weeks and do "whatever it takes" to stop the regime's nuclear strength. But Trump called off any potential blitz - vowing to try and solve the pressing matter through diplomatic means before resorting to bombing. Nadav Shtrauchler, a former adviser to Netanyahu, told The Sun how the PM could give the green light to bomb Iran to cement his legacy. The strategic adviser said: "In his eyes, two things are highly important. One of them is Iran. The second is Saudi Arabia and the following of the Abraham Accords. "Number one is Iran before everything else. "He sees that as a threat as an immediate threat to the state and after the last two big strikes from Iran, people understood that next time it could be different material on those weapons. Trump says Iran deal is 'well on its way' - as regime builds ring of steel around deeply buried nuclear fortresses "His main goal is to stop Iran and he needs to put every pressure he can. "Of course, you want to do it with Trump and with the American administration - but I think he would not avoid attacking there. "This is his main number one goal in this war." Shtrauchler said although Netanyahu would want America's help, he will make sure Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's nuclear ambitions are destroyed "at all costs". "He changed the equation from the start," he added. "Iran was choking Israel from both sides from north, south and from other sides and he changed the equation by attacking Hezbollah and putting this threat out. "There is no real threat rocket threat from Gaza today. And we know the situation with Syria has changed rapidly since the start of the war. "We also know that Iran has been folded or been attacked on these anti-aircraft missiles. "So he has a clear way, if he wants to do it. "Of course, he will want to do it with the American administration but nevertheless, this is his main goal. "So if it's just knocking on a door before getting inside, it could be a sign but for sure is getting planned on that. "He wants to do it [strike Iran] and he's working on how to do it. And I think in the end he will try to do it with the Americans. "But if he sees it's not going, he will find a solution to change the equation with Iran and make sure that they don't have any nuclear weapon at all costs." 7 Donald Trump, pictured boarding Air Force One last week, is trying to negotiate with Tehran Credit: Reuters 7 IDF sources, speaking to The Sun in Israel, previously said how Tehran is now 'many, many steps back' as forces have been working for months to clear the path for a major strike on Iran. They told how three air campaigns in Iran have eliminated strategic aerial defences which were 'the main obstacle' protecting the rogue nation's nuke facilities. The insider said the IDF has also worked to significantly downgrade the threat posed by Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi - effectively leaving Iran isolated. Vitally, this would allow Israeli aircraft to get to Iran's borders with diminished fear of being blasted. The IDF source told The Sun: 'We struck in Yemen three or four times, and we had three air campaigns in Iran, eliminating on the way most of the aerial defence systems in Syria, Iraq, and Iran. 'They were the main obstacle when thinking about a big aerial operation on the way to Iran. Their proxy aerial defence systems.' Netanyahu believes this gaping weakness in Iran's defence makes it the prime time to strike as it will not last. But Trump has argued that negotiation coupled with the back-up threat of bombing is the ideal exploitation of Iran's vulnerability. Iran's secret nuke site 'Rainbow' Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) CHILLING satellite pictures reveal Iran's sprawling secret nuclear site codenamed "Rainbow". Sources in the country have uncovered how the base is being used to develop nuclear-capable missiles with a 2,000-mile range - able to strike US bases in the Middle East. Tehran's tyrannical regime is using oil and chemical facilities as a cover for nuclear bases, bombshell docs shared with The Sun by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reveal. Haunting aerial images expose a network of clandestine sites - including "Rainbow" - used by iron-fist leaders to create terrifying nuclear weapons. A powerful nuclear blast from Iran could have disastrous consequences for the Middle East - and beyond - thanks to the capability of the warheads. Now sources inside Iran have revealed the regime's nuclear weaponisation entity, Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research's (SPND) secret project to accelerate nuclear ability. Hidden under the guise of a chemical production facility, the crowning jewel of the operation is a base known internally as the 'Rangin Kaman (Rainbow) Site". It is some distance from Iran's already known nuke bases, and is masked as a chemical production company known as Diba Energy Siba. READ MORE HERE Ex-Israeli foreign affairs minister Gabi Ashkenazi warned military force will be the only alternative if talks hit a wall. The former IDF chief of general staff, speaking at a gathering of officials attended by The Sun is Paris, said: "From the national defence perspective, definitely the most important issue is Iran. "I think definitely we have to solve the issue of Gaza, but Iran is the most challenging issue for a simple reason. "This is the only potential existential threat to the state of Israel. And I think no government is going to accept a nuclear Iran. "Imagine the 7th of October, and the Iranian nuclear umbrella. Can you imagine what would happen then? So we cannot do it. "Hopefully it will be solved through diplomacy, and if not, we will have to use military force, because we don't have any other alternative." Israel has not been involved in talks between Washington and Tehran and continues to push for military action. Government sources in both Israel and Europe, however, have resonated with Trump and cautioned Netanyahu to refrain from striking. Former Israeli ambassador Daniel Shek told The Sun: "I do hope that there will be an agreement because I think diplomacy has more to gain on the Iranian issue than military intervention. "And people forget, historically wars aren't won on the battlefield. Battles are won on the battlefield. 7 Smoke rises following an explosion over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike on Lebanon in October 2024 Credit: Reuters 7 "Wars are won around the negotiating table for an exit strategy for stable arrangements that avoid the next war etc. "That's how it's done. When did you see in history a war that ended simply because you killed the very last of the opposing soldiers? "It doesn't work that way. "So what should concern Israelis - and especially the Israeli government - is that the US seems to be much more motivated in that direction than them. "Currently you have an American president who just goes above our heads and things are happening and things will be concluded. "It's not done until it's over without including Israel simply because Israel is dragging its feet and doesn't show any enthusiasm." A source close to the French government meanwhile insisted Iran must be bombed "immediately" if they develop the capacity to explode a nuke - but not before. The insider told The Sun in the French capital: "Iran has the capacity to have about three to five bombs. "But that is only about the uranium. What they don't have is the industrial capacity to make a bomb explode. "Something worrying is that Russians or North Korea could give them this capacity. "If Iran develops capacity to explode a nuclear bomb, they must be bombed immediately. "Nobody wants to have a nuclear Iran. "If we discover one day that they could make a nuclear test, the only way would be to bomb Iran. "Israel says that we have to bomb it in advance, before they have the capacity to explode a nuclear bomb."
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Netanyahu will obliterate Iran's nuke empire on his own terms – and could snub Trump in final plan to cement legacy
BENJAMIN Netanyahu is plotting to bomb Iran as it is his "main goal for his legacy" to destroy its nuclear scheme, his ex-advisor said. But government insiders in Europe have echoed Donald Trump 's warning not to undermine talks with Tehran and strike without US backing. 7 7 7 It comes as the UN's nuclear watchdog revealed that Iran has secretly amassed near weapons-grade levels of uranium and could soon have enough for nine bombs. Israeli PM Netanyahu has been making preparations behind the scenes to swiftly blitz Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities as he deems the country "enemy number one". Trump, however, has firmly insisted Israel take no action that could jeopardise his administration's efforts to thrash out a deal with Iran. It culminated in a heated phone call this week between the leaders as they continue to clash on how to curb Tehran 's nuke programme, sources said. The Sun reported in April how Israel was poised to unleash a huge strike on Iran within weeks and do "whatever it takes" to stop the regime's nuclear strength. But Trump called off any potential blitz - vowing to try and solve the pressing matter through diplomatic means before resorting to bombing. Nadav Shtrauchler, a former adviser to Netanyahu, told The Sun how the PM could give the green light to bomb Iran to cement his legacy. The strategic adviser said: "In his eyes, two things are highly important. One of them is Iran. The second is Saudi Arabia and the following of the Abraham Accords. "Number one is Iran before everything else. "He sees that as a threat as an immediate threat to the state and after the last two big strikes from Iran, people understood that next time it could be different material on those weapons. Trump says Iran deal is 'well on its way' - as regime builds ring of steel around deeply buried nuclear fortresses "His main goal is to stop Iran and he needs to put every pressure he can. "Of course, you want to do it with Trump and with the American administration - but I think he would not avoid attacking there. "This is his main number one goal in this war." Shtrauchler said although Netanyahu would want America's help, he will make sure Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's nuclear ambitions are destroyed "at all costs". "He changed the equation from the start," he added. "Iran was choking Israel from both sides from north, south and from other sides and he changed the equation by attacking Hezbollah and putting this threat out. "There is no real threat rocket threat from Gaza today. And we know the situation with Syria has changed rapidly since the start of the war. "We also know that Iran has been folded or been attacked on these anti-aircraft missiles. "So he has a clear way, if he wants to do it. "Of course, he will want to do it with the American administration but nevertheless, this is his main goal. "So if it's just knocking on a door before getting inside, it could be a sign but for sure is getting planned on that. "He wants to do it [strike Iran] and he's working on how to do it. And I think in the end he will try to do it with the Americans. "But if he sees it's not going, he will find a solution to change the equation with Iran and make sure that they don't have any nuclear weapon at all costs." 7 IDF sources, speaking to The Sun in Israel, previously said how Tehran is now 'many, many steps back' as forces have been working for months to clear the path for a major strike on Iran. They told how three air campaigns in Iran have eliminated strategic aerial defences which were 'the main obstacle' protecting the rogue nation's nuke facilities. The insider said the IDF has also worked to significantly downgrade the threat posed by Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi - effectively leaving Iran isolated. Vitally, this would allow Israeli aircraft to get to Iran's borders with diminished fear of being blasted. The IDF source told The Sun: 'We struck in Yemen three or four times, and we had three air campaigns in Iran, eliminating on the way most of the aerial defence systems in Syria, Iraq, and Iran. 'They were the main obstacle when thinking about a big aerial operation on the way to Iran. Their proxy aerial defence systems.' Netanyahu believes this gaping weakness in Iran's defence makes it the prime time to strike as it will not last. But Trump has argued that negotiation coupled with the back-up threat of bombing is the ideal exploitation of Iran's vulnerability. Iran's secret nuke site 'Rainbow' Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) CHILLING satellite pictures reveal Iran's sprawling secret nuclear site codenamed "Rainbow". Sources in the country have uncovered how the base is being used to develop nuclear-capable missiles with a 2,000-mile range - able to strike US bases in the Middle East. Tehran's tyrannical regime is using oil and chemical facilities as a cover for nuclear bases, bombshell docs shared with The Sun by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reveal. Haunting aerial images expose a network of clandestine sites - including "Rainbow" - used by iron-fist leaders to create terrifying nuclear weapons. A powerful nuclear blast from Iran could have disastrous consequences for the Middle East - and beyond - thanks to the capability of the warheads. Now sources inside Iran have revealed the regime's nuclear weaponisation entity, Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research's (SPND) secret project to accelerate nuclear ability. Hidden under the guise of a chemical production facility, the crowning jewel of the operation is a base known internally as the 'Rangin Kaman (Rainbow) Site". It is some distance from Iran's already known nuke bases, and is masked as a chemical production company known as Diba Energy Siba. Ex-Israeli foreign affairs minister Gabi Ashkenazi warned military force will be the only alternative if talks hit a wall. The former IDF chief of general staff, speaking at a gathering of officials attended by The Sun is Paris, said: "From the national defence perspective, definitely the most important issue is Iran. "I think definitely we have to solve the issue of Gaza, but Iran is the most challenging issue for a simple reason. "This is the only potential existential threat to the state of Israel. And I think no government is going to accept a nuclear Iran. "Imagine the 7th of October, and the Iranian nuclear umbrella. Can you imagine what would happen then? So we cannot do it. "Hopefully it will be solved through diplomacy, and if not, we will have to use military force, because we don't have any other alternative." Israel has not been involved in talks between Washington and Tehran and continues to push for military action. Government sources in both Israel and Europe, however, have resonated with Trump and cautioned Netanyahu to refrain from striking. Former Israeli ambassador Daniel Shek told The Sun: "I do hope that there will be an agreement because I think diplomacy has more to gain on the Iranian issue than military intervention. "And people forget, historically wars aren't won on the battlefield. Battles are won on the battlefield. 7 "Wars are won around the negotiating table for an exit strategy for stable arrangements that avoid the next war etc. "That's how it's done. When did you see in history a war that ended simply because you killed the very last of the opposing soldiers? "It doesn't work that way. "So what should concern Israelis - and especially the Israeli government - is that the US seems to be much more motivated in that direction than them. "Currently you have an American president who just goes above our heads and things are happening and things will be concluded. "It's not done until it's over without including Israel simply because Israel is dragging its feet and doesn't show any enthusiasm." A source close to the French government meanwhile insisted Iran must be bombed "immediately" if they develop the capacity to explode a nuke - but not before. The insider told The Sun in the French capital: "Iran has the capacity to have about three to five bombs. "But that is only about the uranium. What they don't have is the industrial capacity to make a bomb explode. "Something worrying is that Russians or North Korea could give them this capacity. "If Iran develops capacity to explode a nuclear bomb, they must be bombed immediately. "Nobody wants to have a nuclear Iran. "If we discover one day that they could make a nuclear test, the only way would be to bomb Iran. "Israel says that we have to bomb it in advance, before they have the capacity to explode a nuclear bomb."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Trump shares theory that Joe Biden DIED in 2020 and was replaced by a clone
President Donald Trump shared a bizarre theory on social media Saturday night that suggested Joe Biden died in 2020 and has since been replaced by a 'clone.' The Truth Social post, which has since gone viral, stated bluntly that the former president of the United States had somehow been dead for years while still in office. 'There is no #JoeBiden - executed in 2020. #Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see,' wrote the user named llijh. '# Democrats dont know the difference.' Trump did not add any of his own commentary to the post, but simply amplifying the wild conspiracy created confusion. Almost immediately, social media erupted, with supporters and critics alike grappling with the surreal suggestion. 'We all knew something was completely off,' one commenter wrote. 'Although Trump has said repeatedly that Joe Biden was shot.' Others reveled in the uncanny nature of the moment: 'Wow! President Trump just re-truthed this post,' exclaimed one astonished user. Another chimed in: 'I cannot believe President Trump just reTRUTHED this.' The president's replies section rapidly devolved into a torrent of wild speculation about what surprises may be ahead. 'Well you just went there! Go you! The truth is coming! Buckle up!' one supporter cheered. President Donald Trump re-truthed a bizarre and conspiratorial post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday night suggesting that Joe Biden died in 2020 and has since been replaced by a 'clone' Trump himself did not add any commentary to the post, but the act of re-truthing it spoke volumes 'Thank you, do you know how long I've been saying this? Trump was still our President in his first term and I knew Joe Biden was gone during his run for president. They installed The actor (blue eyes & brown eyes),' wrote another, referring to fringe theories that claim noticeable changes in Biden's eye color are evidence of a body double. Others mocked the madness. 'Just like all MAGAts, you're all into conspiracy theories. Do you think the earth is flat as well? Just wondering,' one user wrote sarcastically. 'We knew this but now it's confirmed by the Commander in Chief! Wow!!! NCSWIC…nothing! Trust the Plan!' added a QAnon sympathizer, referencing the popular but baseless 'Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming' slogan. Trump's casual amplification served to underscore the surreal and conspiratorial environment that defines the MAGA movement. This isn't the first time Trump has danced with conspiracy theories. Throughout his first term as president Trump continued to given oxygen to baseless theories: suggesting Ted Cruz's father was involved in the JFK assassination, refusing to fully distance himself from QAnon, and promoting claims of massive voter fraud during the 2020 election without evidence. Trump was the most prominent promoter of the so-called 'birther' conspiracy, falsely claiming that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. For years, Trump demanded Obama's birth certificate and continued to suggest it was fraudulent even after Obama released the official long-form document. It wasn't until 2016, under mounting political pressure, that Trump finally admitted Obama was born in the US - without apology or acknowledgment of the damage the false claims had caused. But suggesting the idea that a former president of the United States was a 'clone' pushes the envelope even further. The statement appeared more like the plot of a sci-fi movie than a concept worthy of the attention of a head of state. Last month, Biden's cancer announcement revived questions about the extent of his health issues during his tenure, with Trump saying Biden should have been more transparent with the public. Biden's office said he had been diagnosed with 'aggressive' prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. It placed renewed focus on the health of the 82-year-old with the publication of a book that details widespread concerns about Biden's mental acuity among aides and Democratic insiders as he pursued reelection in 2024. The new book, 'Original Sin,' by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson put a spotlight on Biden's mental acuity in his final months in office. Excerpts from the book have prompted new questions about whether critical information was withheld from the American public about Biden's ability to serve in the White House. Biden's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. Biden has appeared on television to rebut accusations that his mental capacity had diminished during his 2021-2025 term. Biden, the oldest person ever to serve as president, was forced to drop his reelection bid last July after a stumbling debate performance against Trump eroded his support among fellow Democrats. Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, launched a bid of her own but lost to Trump in the November 2024 election.
