Gubernatorial Debate: A Minstrel Show In Reverse

By Dennis Edwards
Editorial Columnist

At times it was traumatic watching and listening to Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears harass and all but physically attack Democrat Abigail Spanberger during their Gubernatorial debate. Like being forced to endure the antics of a mentally disturbed and petulant child throwing a temper tantrum on live TV.

Historically speaking, it reminded me most of a “Minstrel Show” performance in reverse. Where, instead of a White performer putting on Black face while pretending to be stereotypically Black, Earle-Sears, an African-American, put on a figurative white MAGA face.

In my 45+ years covering news all over the country, I’ve never been more disgusted with a politician’s debate performance. It was like watching that minstrel show in reverse. I half way expected Earle-Sears to physically attack Spanberger. She repeatedly defied multiple moderator reminders as well as warnings about speaking out of turn. It was clearly an attempt to intimidate and bully the former congress woman.

Spanberger maintained focus to her credit while understandably appearing to wonder just how far Earle-Sears would go. There were the Lt. Governor’s repeated interruptions and wild verbal abuses over Attorney General Candidate Jay Jones texts, attempts to force Spanberger to publicly denounce Jones’ candidacy as well as repeated nasty, lecture-like statements.

Spanberger’s reactions about Jones text’s were appropriate. She was also right in her decision not to ask Jones to leave the race. Something Republicans hoped to force her to do. Makes me wonder just how much the GOP fears losing with Jones still on the ticket.

Clearly Jones’ statements were wrong, unacceptable. Yet they do not cast any doubt on whether he can handle the Attorney General’s Office.  He’s appropriately apologized and will get to defend himself in his own debate with Republican AG Jason Miyares next week. Truth is there are few among us who haven’t vented some extreme anger over a phone conversation or in texts before. Especially when it comes to the hypocritical, sometimes blatant racism of Virginia’s Republican Party and their idol President Donald Trump. Yet Jones’ misstep appears to be a one time event.

To be sure, Virginia Republicans are actually at deepest odds from deep within. Sears openly opposes the lifestyle and homosexuality of John Reid, her running mate, who openly hopes to be married to the Black man he’s lived with for years. Sears won’t even mention his name. Now Reid, with all his problems, comes along making what are called hateful and bigoted attacks against his Lt. Governor opponent Senator Ghazala Hashmi. Eighteen Virginia lawmakers have come out against his candidacy

In the Minstrel-like world of Virginia’s Republican Party, the top, middle and bottom of their statewide ticket features a variety of poster children for government dysfunction. Were Shakespeare still alive he might say something like “Me Thinks the Republican Party Doth Protest Too Much!”

At this moment, it’s certainly acting like a desperate Minstrel Show where all the players hate each other. An off shoot, it would appear, of Donald Trumps dysfunctional and Anti-Democracy Administration.

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The abiding truth for Virginians at the deepest levels may be whether voters can or should give license to the continuation and spread of Trump-ike insanity in one of the states where Democracy was born.

Dennis Edwards is a Major Market Emmy and Virginia AP Press Broadcasters Award Winning Television and WRVA Radio News Anchor, Investigative  Reporter, Editorial Page Columnist and Pastor. A graduate of Virginia Union University and its Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology, Copyright October 2025)