Guy Ciarrocchi: Attack of the clones — Sherrill and Spanberger

If you want a glimpse of the future, of robots running our politics, look no further than the two Democrats running for Governor in New Jersey and Virginia, the only two states with gubernatorial races in 2025. They’re clones, with all the originality, empathy and authenticity of robots.

Both running in powder blue states with a purple streak. As Democrats, both entered their races favored to win. Both, now, are in trouble.

Both are suburban women. Both were elected to Congress in 2018 — the first election cycle of the Democrats’ “resistance” to President Trump. Neither has accomplished anything of note — good or bad — while in Congress. 

Both hate President Trump — and it’s what they seem most passionate about. Both had family in the military: Mikie Sherrill mentions it in sentence number two on her campaign web page; Spanberger waits until sentence three. Both used to be prosecutors.

White, suburban, nondescript members of Congress who were prosecutors, have family connections to the military (Sherrill served in the Navy, herself), were elected as part of the anti-Trump resistance, and are most passionate about standing up to Trump. Their webpages look similar and they have similar platforms.

It’s as if Democrats entered a program into AI and asked what type of candidate to order for 2025.

It seemed like a nice idea at the time. Play it safe. Women smiling at county fairs. Talking about standing up for your state. And throw in an occasional “I won’t let Donald Trump do X in our state.” Harumph!

Until the races got tight. Their GOP opponents were talking about inflation, property taxes, crime, and school choice. New Jersey’s Ciattarelli is experienced. And Virginia’s Sears is not only the sitting Lt. Governor, she’s female and African-American.

No problem: just plug this new data on inflation into AI, and presto: both webpages now have Issues/Values sections about “Affordability.”

But then, TV interviews, the debates, and their scandals — and the responses. They weren’t programmed for those.

Sherrill was asked the basic question for a gubernatorial candidate: What would be your first priority? In Jersey, this question is underscored because Democrats have controlled both chambers since…forever. This is the easiest question one could be asked.

In what has been a commercial seen for months, Sherrill stared off into space and pondered. She flubbed it, again.

Then, in the much anticipated October 8 debate, Jersey voters finally got an answer: She would stand up to Trump and sue him if need be.

Sherrill’s scandal: she was not permitted “to walk” at graduation from the Naval Academy, as a punishment for not keeping their honor code. She snapped that the information was public. The classic time old trope — focusing on her opponent and blaming Republicans for “leaking” facts.

Enter Virginia. As many of us know, the Democratic candidate for Virginia’s Attorney General is embroiled in a scandal. Big time. As a member of the Virginia State House, he sent text messages to a fellow House member saying that he’d like to put “2 bullets” in the head of the former GOP Speaker of the House. And, the Speaker’s children (“little fascists”) should be killed, too, so that his wife could suffer — that’s how to get him to “change his views on policy.” 

To date, stunningly, no county Democratic Party in Virginia has condemned Jay Jones, nor asked him to step down. 

Neither has Spanberger. In Virginia, while the candidates run independently, it is very common for signs and literature to list the candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general as a team.

At her debate against the GOP candidate, current Lt. Governor Winsome Sears, the moderator asked Spanberger about Jones: would she ask him to step down from running?

Spanberger gave a Kamala Harris-esque word-salad about violence, political rhetoric, the voters, and how everyone has to run one’s own race.

The moderator pushed back, stating that Spanberger didn’t answer the question. With her second try, Spanberger again babbled a word salad. The moderator tried a third time, then ended with her own clarification: Spanberger was not demanding Jones drop out the race.

Later, when Sears challenged Spanberger’s weak non-answer and condemned her for not showing leadership, Spanberger stared off into the camera, even awkwardly smiling — literally ignoring Sears’ remarks.

After a consensus that their GOP opponents won their debates, the Democrats went back to their Democrat “safe spaces.” In Virginia, Team Spanberger attacked Sears on abortion (“reproductive freedom”) and LGBT rights (of note, Sears’s Lt. Governor candidate is gay).

In New Jersey, Team Sherrill went back to the timeless classic: Ciattarelli is “too close” to Trump.

The problem with robots — with picking candidates for branding, not their experience or leadership, candidates who are “safe” with no core other than hatred of Trump — is that they’re not genuine. They can’t honestly tell you what they want to do, make better, or create.

They aren’t candidates: they’re Democratic automatons whose only goal is to stop Trump.

Their candidacy isn’t about us. 

Pro tip: if you can’t condemn a running mate who wants to murder his opponent and his children, maybe being a governor isn’t for you.

And, Congresswoman Sherrill, if you can’t tell us why you’re running for governor of New Jersey, maybe you sit this election out and get back to us when you’re ready.

The Democrats are test-marketing their campaigns of the future in New Jersey and Virginia.

Voters deserve better.

Guy Ciarrocchi writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. A Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation, you can follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.