Firing someone simply for being gay and opposing marriage equality is “not discrimination”, a candidate for the governor’s job in Virginia has said.

Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, who has served as lieutenant governor since 2022, is facing Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger in this year’s race for the governor’s mansion. Incumbent Glenn Youngkin cannot run again.

During a debate at Norfolk State University on Thursday (9 October), the only time voters would see the two candidates face-to-face, former US representative Spanberger called out Earle-Sears’ history of anti-LGBTQ+ comments.

In 2004, when Earle-Sears unsuccessfully ran for congress, she completed a now-archived candidate questionnaire in which she indicated she would vote against same-sex couples adopting children, and employee discrimination laws, would not hire “homosexual activists”, and backed the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. She also ticked a box asking if homosexuality was an “immoral lifestyle choice”.

Earlier this year, she wrote a note detailing her personal objection to an anti-discrimination bill that prevents officials denying marriage licences based on sex, gender or race – she was constitutionally required to sign the legislation.