Former Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-Virginia) has become Virginia’s first female governor, asserting that her state’s voters opted for pragmatism rather than partisanship.
“Tonight’s outcome sends a clear message,” she remarked, as her supporters celebrated after various media outlets projected her victory. “We’ve sent a message to every corner of the Commonwealth. We’ve communicated with our neighbors and citizens nationwide. We’ve declared to the world that in 2025, Virginia has chosen pragmatism over partisanship.”
“We opted for unity over chaos,” Spanberger noted, emphasizing leadership that prioritizes essential issues: lowering costs, ensuring community safety, and boosting the economy for all Virginians. “We chose a leadership focused on problem-solving rather than fueling divisions. Leadership that always prioritizes Virginia.”
Her assertion that voters favored “pragmatism over partisanship” aligns with Heritage Action’s scorecard, which assigns her a session score of 5 percent and a lifetime score of 5 percent.
Heritage Action reported that Spanberger opposed the U.S. Voter Eligibility Safeguards Act, which aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by requiring states to verify both U.S. citizenship and identity during voter registration for federal elections.
Additionally, Spanberger reportedly stands against legislation related to state CBDC surveillance put forth by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota).
The proposed anti-surveillance law concerning CBDC describes a prohibition on “the issuance of a central bank digital currency by the government or the Federal Reserve System.”
In an editorial for Fairfax County Times, Julie Gunlock, director of the Independent Women’s Network, speculated on whether Spanberger could genuinely be considered a moderate if she supports Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones, who has made controversial remarks about his opponent.
“Will Spanberger truly be a moderate while backing a candidate like Jay Jones, who makes light of wishing harm to his opponent’s children? Virginia voters are savvy enough to see through that, yet Spanberger claims moderation,” Gunlock questioned.
CNN was among the outlets that projected the outcome of the race between Spanberger and the current Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears (Republican). Both were vying for the position as Virginia doesn’t permit consecutive terms for governors.
Spanberger earned 55.5 percent of the vote, amounting to 1,417,595 votes, while Earl Sears garnered 44.1 percent, or 1,132,958 votes, according to CNN.
If she takes office, Spanberger, a former CIA operative, has pledged to overturn an executive order from Governor Glenn Youngkin that directed state and local law enforcement to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify and detain undocumented immigrants.
Additionally, Breitbart News mentioned that when asked about her stance on biological males participating in women’s sports and using women’s locker rooms, Spanberger frequently evaded giving a direct answer.
