Virginia Welcomes Its First Female Governor
On January 17, 2026, Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, was inaugurated as Virginia’s 75th governor, marking a significant milestone as the first woman to hold this position in over 250 years.
The ceremony took place around noon on the south portico of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, with Spanberger taking her oath on a Bible. Before stepping into the role of governor, she served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2018 until leaving to pursue this new position. In late 2025, Spanberger won against the state’s Lieutenant Governor, Winsome Earl Sears, succeeding Glenn Youngkin.
During her inaugural speech, Spanberger highlighted Virginia’s storied past as one of the original 13 colonies, mentioning notable figures like Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the latter of whom was also the state’s second governor.
She called for combined efforts among Virginians, echoing the words of Patrick Henry, Virginia’s first governor, stating, “United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not divide into factions that must destroy that unity on which our existence depends.”
In a touching moment, she acknowledged Doug Wilder, the state’s first African-American governor, who was present for the ceremony on his 95th birthday.
Per Virginia’s traditional inauguration protocol, men don morning coats and women wear dark suits. Spanberger’s husband, Adam, observed this custom by wearing a bowler hat, while she chose an all-white attire, possibly symbolizing the women’s suffrage movement.
In a nod to protocol, Spanberger’s husband might be referred to as “Mrs. Governor” or “Your Excellency.” It’s noteworthy that no woman has held the governorship in Virginia during colonial times or since the state became a commonwealth in 1776.
“I am honored to serve as the 75th Governor of Virginia. It is out of a deep sense of duty to all Virginians that I take the office of Governor and pledge to work tirelessly for the commonwealth of our homeland,” Spanberger shared on social media.
