Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Virginia’s November election, has received a significant donation from Robert Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), following a contentious protest at an Arlington County School Board meeting. Johnson pledged $500,000 to Earle-Sears’ campaign after an incident involving a racially charged sign displayed during the event.

The sign, held by an older white woman, read: “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then blacks can’t share my water foundation,” in protest of Earle-Sears’ critique of the county’s policies allowing biological males in female spaces. Earle-Sears responded by accusing Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger of being complicit in “extremist nonsense” and vowed to stand with “common sense.”

Johnson, a longtime Democrat donor who previously supported figures such as Hillary Clinton and Terry McAuliffe, stated in a message to Earle-Sears that he was motivated by opposition to what he described as “racist diatribe[s]” at the event. He emphasized his decision to “invest in you” as an investor. The woman holding the sign was identified as a Democratic volunteer with years of experience canvassing for progressive candidates.

Spanberger, who is leading polls against Earle-Sears, condemned the sign as “racist and abhorrent,” referencing Virginia’s history of segregation. A recent Roanoke College poll showed Spanberger ahead 46% to 39%.