Watch the pre-debate special at 6:30 p.m., the full live debate beginning at 7 p.m., and our post-debate live programming in the player above on Oct. 9.

NORFOLK, Va. (NEXSTAR) The stage is prepared for a face-off between former U.S. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Virginia’s current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, as they engage in their sole scheduled debate this Thursday evening in the race for Virginia’s governor.

Virginia is one of just two states holding gubernatorial elections this November, often seen as an indicator of the ruling party’s national standing ahead of next year’s midterms.

Spanberger represents the Democrats, while Earle-Sears is the Republican contender for the November 4 election. Whoever wins, it will mark a historic milestone as Virginia elects its first female governor.

Hosted exclusively by Nexstar’s WAVY, the debate is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. from the campus of Norfolk State University.

Recent surveys, conducted by Emerson College Polling/The Hill and the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University, reveal Spanberger leading Earle-Sears with 52% to 42% among prospective voters.

After months of lobbing attacks, it will be the first time the two candidates debate face to face.

With the government closure and President Trump considering job cuts for federal workers, many of whom reside in Virginia, the candidates are expected to address the president and wider political topics in their discussions.

Spanberger will likely focus on portraying Earle-Sears as aligned with Trump without the ability to oppose him. The Democrat has noted that Trump’s threat of widespread dismissals significantly affects Virginia, home to approximately 315,000 federal employees.

Earle-Sears likely will look to tie her Democratic opponent to the federal shutdown after Congress failed to fund the government. Democrats, who have consistently voted against a short-term spending measure, have said they will only vote in support if Congress extends health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

The debate also takes place in the wake of a texting scandal, after The National Review published a report revealing that Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, in 2022 sent text messages suggesting the former Republican House speaker get “two bullets to the head.”

Meantime, Earle-Sears’ campaign has had to field questions after Youngkin unsuccessfully asked Republican John Reid to drop out of the lieutenant governor’s race in connection to a social media account with explicit photos.

HOW TO WATCH

The debate will stream live in a player above, and viewers in the greater Commonwealth will be able to watch a broadcast and online feed available from Nexstar’s WRIC-TV in Richmond, WFXR-TV in Roanoke, DC News Now/WDCW-TV in Washington, D.C., and WJHL-TV and EJHL-TV in Tri-Cities, Tenn.

Pre-debate coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the debate at 7 p.m. The evening will wrap up with post-debate coverage at the conclusion of the event.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.