Virginia will likely elect its first woman governor this year.

Why it matters: The Commonwealth's gubernatorial race, which has long been eyed as an early political test after a presidential election, is set to be one of the most historic elections in state history.

Driving the news: Over the weekend, the state GOP announced that Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears will be the party's nominee for governor in November.

• Former state senator Amanda Chase, who describes herself as "Trump in heels," was vying for the GOP ticket but failed to make the ballot.
• Chase told Virginia Scope she'll be backing Earle-Sears and confirmed to the Washington Post she won't be running as an independent.
• Former Del. Dave LaRock, another potential rival to Earle-Sears, was also short of the signatures needed to qualify.

No one filed to oppose former Rep. Abigail Spanberger for the Democratic ticket, which means the gubernatorial nominees are both women for the first time in Virginia history.

The big picture: Just 51 women nationwide have ever been governors, Axios Denver reports.

• Those women have led in only 32 states, said Jean Sinzdak, associate director at Center for American Women and Politics.

Zoom in: There's also a chance Virginians elect the first Black woman governor in U.S. history.

• The closest we've gotten to a Black woman gubernatorial candidate was in 2021, when Rep. Jennifer McClellan and Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy ran for the Democratic nomination.
• They lost to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who went on to lose to Gov. Youngkin.
• Youngkin, who's term-limited, is backing Earle-Sears.

Zoom out: Virginia has a track record of electing a governor from the opposite political party of the sitting president.

• The only time it didn't in the past 50 years was in 2013 after Barack Obama's re-election, when McAuliffe won against Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican.

Keep reading for how national Democrats are targeting Virginia

Virginia has one of the highest gender pay gaps in the South, according to 2023 census data.

Why it matters: Gender pay differences reflect in part "a lack of workplace policies that support family caregiving, which is still most often performed by women," according to the National Partnership for Women and Families.

• Women, meanwhile, continue to be overrepresented in lower-paying professions.

By the numbers: The median pay for Virginia women who worked full-time in 2023 was $57,991, according to census data.

• For men in the state, it was $71,646 — or almost 24% more.

The intrigue: Women's earnings compared to men's actually dropped.

• In 2023, women in Virginia made 78.8% of men's median pay; in 2022, it was 79.6%, per the Labor Department.

Stunning stat: Virginia's $14,918 gender pay gap is one of the widest in the South.

• With the exception of Alabama and Louisiana, every other southern state had a smaller gap.

Tell your sister

⏳ Virginia schools have until 5pm Friday to either prove they're not involved with anything promoting DEI or risk losing federal funding. (Times-Dispatch)

🥪 Local entrepreneur Ramy Abraham bought the Perly's restaurant building on Grace Street last month for $815,000 — and bought a stake in the restaurant. (BizSense)

🚌 The money that makes GRTC buses free to ride could run out this summer unless the transit service finds nearly $7 million to fill the funding gap. (Virginia Mercury)

🗞️ Local community media outlet South Richmond News is shutting down, announced owner John Murden yesterday. (South Richmond News)

The city recently completed its purchase of the 96-acre South Richmond site that was once slated to be the location for the city's (twice) failed casino project.

Why it matters: Instead of a casino, the city is now hoping to build "a new signature park" for Southside on half of it and market the rest for economic development.

The big picture: Last fall, City Council unanimously approved the city's $5.5 million purchase of the Philip Morris USA-owned parcel between Walmsley Boulevard and I-95, The Richmonder reported.

• Council also OK'd another $4 million to demolish a more than 40-year-old lab and office building on the site.

Zoom in: About half of the property has wetlands and ponds, which is where the park portion will go.

• For the other half, which includes the building that will be demolished later this year, the city is planning a market study "to analyze the best and highest uses" for the site.

What's next: Park planning with community engagement will begin later this year, according to the city.

Go deeper

Members of GWAR, Richmond's homegrown costume metal band, popped by a Henrico Waffle House on Saturday night.

Why it matters: Richmond might be the only city in the world where it's perfectly normal(ish) to see two middle-aged men dressed in little more than loincloths and leather masks at a Waffle House.

Driving the news: GWAR was in town and in costume on Saturday for the launch of their new "Berserker Mode" coffee, a "savagely sticky with muddy molassesness and foul-fruited candy sweetness" collab with Concept Cafes Coffee, per the website.

• The launch was at GWARbar, of course.
• It looks like some of the members stopped by the Waffle House on Parham near Staples Mill after the event, where a diner captured some of the band at play and posted the video on Instagram.

What's next: The members appeared to be making a video of their own, so stay tuned for details.

• Then next month they'll set off on their 40th anniversary tour, which includes a show in Richmond on July 24.

Tell someone who loves waffles and loincloths