Former Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) is anticipated to win against Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears (Republican) in the Virginia gubernatorial election scheduled for Tuesday, making her the first female governor in U.S. history.
This victory in Virginia, a significant political barometer, is likely to be celebrated by moderate Democrats as they navigate the party’s identity ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Spanberger first gained attention in 2018 by unseating former Republican Rep. Dave Blatt in the 7th Congressional District. She served in Congress until early 2025 and is known for her bipartisan approach.
Her campaign for governor began about two years ago amidst speculation that Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) might also run, though he faced no opposition in the primary.
Throughout the campaign, Spanberger emphasized affordability and protecting Virginia from the detrimental impacts of federal workforce reductions implemented during President Trump’s administration.
She highlighted her experience as a former intelligence officer in her final advertisement, along with her background in law enforcement and public service.
In her ad, she noted, “I followed my parents into civil service. My mother was a nurse, my father was in federal law enforcement, and I served too. They targeted drug cartels, child predators, and terrorists for the CIA.”
However, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing for Spanberger. Last month, turmoil erupted in the Democratic primary after controversial texts from 2022 Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones came to light. In them, he made troubling comments about harming then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a Republican.
Spanberger quickly condemned these remarks, expressing her “disgust” over the situation, although Republicans—including Trump and Earl Sears—used the incident to criticize her.
Sears brought up the scandal during their only debate, and Spanberger continued to distance herself from Jones for the rest of the campaign. Despite Jones’s declining approval ratings in his race, Spanberger maintained a strong lead over Earl Sears throughout her campaign.
