Abigail Spanberger is not the only candidate who has stated that she wants to eliminate the car tax.

Virginia’s gubernatorial race and the Attorney General race are shaping up as a referendum over two key issues: affordability and public safety.

Winsome Sears, the Democratic candidate for governor, has taken an aggressive stance against affordability. She has pledged to eliminate the car tax, which would be a relief for all who own a vehicle, but especially the poor and lower middle class. In the race for Attorney General, Jason Miyares’ pro-safety policy contrasts sharply with Jay Jones’s approach that will undermine public security and turn Virginians communities into magnets of violent illegal alien gangs.

Car Tax: Burden on Working Class Virginians

Virginia’s car tax, formally known as the vehicle personal property tax, is the highest in the country and significantly strains many families financially–especially those in the working and middle classes–costing Virginians an average of $1,139 annually. Families who depend on their cars to get to work, do errands or to take their kids to school and sports face a financial barrier.

Owning a vehicle is a necessity, as public transportation options outside of major urban centers, such as the suburbs around Washington, D.C., are few. This tax is a burden for car commuters and can take away funds that could be used to pay rent, buy groceries or care for children.

Winsome Sears’ campaign has been centered around eliminating the car tax, which she believes is an unfair burden for Virginians already struggling with rising costs of living.

I hate the car tax.  You pay sales tax on a car and every year, the government taxes you for just owning the vehicle? That’s ridiculous.As governor, I’ll axe the car tax for good.#AxeTheCarTax pic.twitter.com/P9F8GIks1H

Winsome Earle Sears (@winwithwinsome).
July 9, 2025

Abigail Spanberger has, on the other hand, not made a commitment to eliminate the car tax. By electing her, we would maintain the status quo and continue to burden struggling families and workers with an additional local tax each year.

Sears, by prioritizing the tax cut for working families in her state, is positioning herself to be a champion, providing tangible relief that can make a significant difference in their everyday lives.

Public Safety: Miyares’ record vs. Jones’ policies

The incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is currently in office, has a solid track record when it comes to public safety. He works closely with federal authorities and sheriffs of local jurisdictions to combat crime and remove violent illegal immigrants from Virginia’s community. His efforts led to a 34% reduction in murders and a 12% drop in violent crimes. He also seized approximately 2,000 pounds. The seizures included 415 pounds (or 34% less) of deadly fentanyl.

Jones, on the other hand, was opposed to, a bill Miyares had authored that made it felony murder if you cause death through distribution of controlled substances.

Jones also voted to soften the crime policies, including mandating 60-day prison sentences for repeat domestic abuse convictions, granting driver’s licences to illegal immigrants, expunging criminal histories automatically, and making it easy for anyone – even repeat murderers – qualify for bail.

Jones did not stop there.

He voted in favor of Virginia’s proposed constitution amendment that would give felons the vote as soon as they leave prison, with no exceptions.

When Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the Republican governor who took office in January of this year, reviewed each case individually rather than issuing blanket pardons like his predecessor. Ralph Northam did. Jones represented NAACP in its suit against Youngkin, and hilariously compared felons voting to Civil Rights era voting battles.

Jones’ amendment of 2021, which passed both chambers in the Virginia General Assembly but needed to be approved in two consecutive sessions, failed. It was recently reintroduced, and it passed again. Spanberger wrote was approved on X, in January. “I am glad to see that the VA House of Delegates moved forward a constitutional amendement to restore voting rights automatically to formerly incarcerated Virginians.”

I am glad to see that the VA House of Delegates has moved forward with a constitutional change to restore voting rights automatically to former incarcerated Virginians.  We Americans are a nation founded on the right to vote.

— Abigail Spanberger (@SpanbergerForVA)
14 January 2025

If Democrats win in November, they will almost certainly be able to allow convicted violent felons and sex offenders to vote at Virginian elections.

Jay Jones lays out the red carpet for illegal aliens and violent criminals

Jones opposes the local cooperation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He voted for sanctuary cities that attract violent transnational gangs, because they know they won’t have to deal much with ICE.

It would be enough to make this dangerous if Jones was tough on crime. Virginians would be able to rely that violent illegal aliens will face justice once they have finished murdering, robbing and raping Virginians in Virginian communities and families. But, he is not.

Jones’s soft-on crime policies are accompanied by a distrust of the police and an objection to the death sentence, based on his belief that American justice is systemically racist. This belief hinders deterrents needed to keep a state secure and repel violent drifters and out-of-state criminals, whether they are illegal aliens or American Citizens.

Jones, as Attorney General will be more of a hindrance than a help to law enforcement because of this erroneous belief about the American justice systems.

It’s not just about preventing law enforcement from protecting communities. In an atmosphere of suspicion towards law enforcement, which ascribes victimhood to those convicted, institutions receive less protection. Jones’ worldview is a threat to schoolchildren because he does not support uniformed officers protecting schools against school shooting psychos. He helped pass legislation that prohibits universities from requesting criminal records and denying admission based on them.

Virginia’s November elections will be decided by affordability and safety. Virginians will finally be able to get rid of the car tax burden with Sears. Miyares will allow Virginians to continue creating a safer state where violent criminals are sent to prison and illegal immigrants are expelled. Spanberger, and Jones on the other hand offer no relief from the car tax, and support policies which will undermine public security. Voters have a choice to make between tangible financial assistance and maintaining the status quo, which is unaffordable and unsafe communities or allowing criminals and illegal immigrants to flood the country.

This article first appeared on Virginia's Elections are about who can make the state safer and more affordable