The Republican Governors Association announced this week that it will be investing $1.5 million in Lt. Governor. Winsome-Sears (R-VA) gubernatorial race against former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

The RGA has invested $5 million in the race. This is the same amount that Democratic Governors Association spent to turn the Virginia Governor’s Mansion blue.

The RGA investment is coming as the GOP attacks Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones for violent text messages that he sent suggesting former Virginia House speaker Todd Gilbert receive “two shots to the head” and wishing death on Gilbert’s children.

Spanberger has denounced Jones’ text messages, but he has not pushed him to resign. Republicans have been pressuring Democrats to abandon Jones.

It’s more clear than ever before that this race isn’t about Republicans and Democrats. Peyton Vogel, spokeswoman for Earle-Sears, told Politico in a press release that it was common sense against violence. The RGA is aware of the issues at hand in Virginia and will support us as we fight Abigail Spanberger’s ticket of rage.

This week, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares , who is running for re-election, announced he would spend $1.5 million to promote Jones’s text.

Jones has reportedly cancelled a fundraiser on Thursday night as the controversy surrounding his comments continues.

Earle-Sears is already attacking Spanberger with recent ads about the Jones scandal. He also blames Democrats for encouraging violence in politics that led to the death conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The lieutenant-governor still has a long road to follow Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA). According to a RealClearPolitics composite poll, she trails Spanberger in the race by 8.6 percentage points. Early voting in the commonwealth had already started before the Jones texts were revealed.

Spanberger spent months tying Earle Sears to Donald Trump’s attempts to cut the federal workforce. This is a significant portion of Virginia’s populace. The shutdown of the federal government and the threats of the Trump administration to fire thousands of employees or withhold their backpay may help the Democratic candidate strengthen her argument that Old Dominion needs new leadership.

Spanberger stated in a Tuesday statement that “President Trump punishes Virginians for refusing to work in good-faith to end this shut down.” Withholding backpay will do nothing to strengthen the country and is a further attack against Virginians’ livelihoods.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball, at the University of Virginia, changed its rating of the gubernatorial election from “leans Democratic” to “likely Democratic” last month.

Trump entered the Virginia state races on Sunday by endorsing Miyares’ reelection. He remained silent about Earle-Sears’ endorsement, despite the fact that she was present at his speech in Norfolk, Virginia, celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Navy.

The RGA’s involvement in the race indicates that the GOP is looking for an opportunity to regain control of Virginia after the Jones fiasco.

Spanberger will face Earle-Sears on the Norfolk State University debate stage Thursday. Questions about Jones are likely to be a major part of the discussion.