Virginia Governor Spanberger Faces Social Media Backlash Over Grilling Photo
On Thursday, Virginia’s Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger found herself under scrutiny after sharing a photo related to a promotional event. This event was organized by the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and the Virginia Dairy Association at the State Capitol in Richmond. In the photo, Spanberger is seen wearing a black shirt that reads, “BEEF.”
The image received a flood of comments, with users making various comparisons about what Spanberger might have been grilling. Some pointed out the pale, stringy appearance of the meat. One commenter made a reference to the iconic “facehugger” from the film “Alien,” while others humorously questioned if she was cooking a mouse. A clip from former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign also made the rounds, featuring a line about dogs being eaten.
Please order! 🥩 pic.twitter.com/n69Rhrxt6V
— Governor Abigail Spanberger (@GovernorVA) February 12, 2026
Many observers noted that Spanberger’s awkward grilling moment fits into a troubling pattern among Democratic politicians. For instance, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer once posted a similarly cringe-worthy image on Father’s Day 2024, featuring a raw hamburger topped with melted cheese. That post was removed shortly after it went live.
Spanberger isn’t alone in this grilling misstep. Cal Cunningham, who ran unsuccessfully for North Carolina’s Senate seat in 2020, once shared a photo captioned with “There’s nothing like BBQ,” despite not actually barbecuing. His political career faced multiple setbacks.
The parade of elected Democrats who have never touched the grill continues. At least this time I turned on the grill https://t.co/zFRmgpxYuV pic.twitter.com/chHIy4IaCAC
— SwampFox (@SwampFox8) February 13, 2026
One user chimed in, criticizing the trend of Democratic officials struggling with grilling. They attached a picture of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who grinned while holding a less-than-appetizing burger patty.
This isn’t Spanberger’s first grilling faux pas as a Virginia governor; her predecessor, Terry McAuliffe, also had an embarrassing moment. In a video shared before July 4, 2021, he was seen wearing an American flag shirt while waving a clean spatula upside down, wishing everyone a happy Independence Day. Behind him, a grill sat with raw sausages and burgers, which were clearly not cooking.
Happy 4th of July, Virginia! This year is special. America is back 🇺🇸🇺🇸🍻🍺🌭🍔 pic.twitter.com/VrWKK9viAm
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) July 3, 2021
As he touted the joys of July 4th, McAuliffe held up an unopened can of beer while mentioning other grilling staples. The scene was certainly not one to inspire confidence in his cooking abilities.
