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President Donald Trump praised Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears this week after Democratic challenger Abigail Spanberger mocked the Republican over her non-endorsement with a SpongeBob Squarepants reference. Trump was asked about Earle-Sears on Air Force One and praised her debate performance while appearing to criticize Spanberger’s refusal to explicitly call for scandal-plagued attorney general candidate Jay Jones to drop out after his texts envisioning the murder of a former House Republican leader. "I think the Republican candidate is very good and she should win because the Democrat candidate is a disaster," he said. EARLE-SEARS COMES OUT SWINGING IN HEATED DEBATE AS SPANBERGER DODGES JAY JONES QUESTIONS "I haven’t been too much involved in Virginia -- I love the state; I did very well in the state but I will tell you I think the republican candidate is excellent and the Democrat candidate is a disaster," he said. He warned that both Spanberger and Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. – the Democratic nominee in the Garden State – will preeminently be bad for the current U.S. energy dominance agenda. "Both the Democrats are going to drive the energy prices through the roof," he said. OBAMA ENDORSES SPANBERGER, ATTACKS REPUBLICANS IN VIRGINIA GOVERNOR'S RACE ADS Trump, however, again appeared to stop short of issuing an endorsement in the style he usually does – which includes effusive praise and "total endorsement" on Truth Social. Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House for clarity on whether the AF1 comments constituted an endorsement. Former President Barack Obama was clearer in his commendation of Spanberger, whom he formally endorsed last week. WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES ‘TWO BULLETS’ AD SCATHING OPPONENT FOR FAILING TO DEMAND JAY JONES’ OUSTER A Spanberger campaign spokesperson also confirmed the two will rally in Virginia in the coming days. The site will reportedly be in Hampton Roads. Obama released a video calling Virginia’s elections "some of the most important in the country this year." "I am proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger for governor. Republican policies are raising costs on working families so billionaires can get massive tax cuts," Obama said, echoing congressional Democrats. TRUMP VOICES SUPPORT FOR GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, ADMITS SHE HAS 'TOUGH RACE' Asked about Trump and Obama, the Earle-Sears campaign said the video endorsement shows Spanberger is "scared – and it shows." "After losing support across Virginia, she’s leaning on liberal elites to try and save her collapsing campaign," press secretary Peyton Vogel told Fox News Digital. "This is a desperate play from a candidate who’s run out of support, out of ideas, and out of time. Voters see through it, and that’s why Winsome Earle-Sears is surging." CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Spanberger got another boost Tuesday from PBS’ "Bill Nye the Science Guy," who condemned Trump in a raucous speech over the weekend and will rally with the Virginia Democrat in Charlottesville. When asked about Nye’s resurgence on behalf of Democrats, a White House spokesperson quipped, "You mean, ‘Bill Nye the Liberal Activist Guy’?"
