Virginia Republicans are growing cautiously optimistic about Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) chances in November’s gubernatorial race after new polling released this week showed the Republican nominee closing the gap.

A Roanoke College poll released earlier this week showed former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) leading Earle-Sears 46 percent to 39 percent among likely Virginia voters. Another 14 percent of voters said they were undecided, while 1 percent said they would vote for someone else. The poll marked a shift from the latest Roanoke College poll released in May, which showed Spanberger leading 43 percent to 26 percent.

The same poll also showed tight races in the lieutenant governor and the attorney general race.

Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D) leads Republican John Reid in the race to replace Earle-Sears 38 percent to 35 percent, while former Del. Jay Jones (D) leads incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) 41 percent to 38 percent.

Republicans say alleviated concerns about the management of the lieutenant governor’s campaign, coupled with a focus on cultural issues in some Northern Virginia schools, is benefitting the state’s GOP ticket.

“I think she’s got a shot,” said conservative talk show host John Fredericks, who just last month was referring to Earle-Sears’ scampaign as a “clown car.”

Fredericks, who was President Trump’s 2016........

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