Abigail Spanberger Secures Victory in Virginia Governor’s Race
(MENAFN) Abigail Spanberger secured a decisive victory in the Virginia governor’s race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and flipping the state to Democratic control, according to The Associated Press. She becomes the first woman to hold the position.
With more than half of the ballots counted, Spanberger maintained a commanding lead of over 10% against Earle-Sears, who remained below 45%. In comparison, former President Donald Trump had lost Virginia by six points to then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
The Associated Press officially called the race at 7:59 p.m. local time (0059 GMT Wednesday).
The victory marks a major win for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Spanberger, 46, a former CIA officer and lawmaker, will succeed outgoing Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin after running a campaign centered on economic issues.
Polls closed and counting began at 7 p.m. local time (0000 GMT) in Virginia, one of only two states holding off-year gubernatorial contests. In New Jersey, polls closed an hour later, with vote tallies still ongoing.
In other Virginia statewide results, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi defeated John Reid in the lieutenant governor’s race, becoming the first Indian American and first Muslim elected to statewide office in Virginia.
"The History Virginia is making tonight," Spanberger said.
"We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our Commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most," she told supporters in Richmond after polls closed.
Spanberger emphasized her campaign’s broad appeal. "I thank you for the trust that you have placed in me, and it is the honor of my lifetime to be elected the 75th governor," she said.
Outlining her priorities, Spanberger pledged to boost the economy, create jobs, protect reproductive rights, and ensure politics remain out of public schools.
“We’re going to grow Virginia’s economy by investing in apprenticeships and job training of the future," Spanberger said. “We’re going to leverage AI and cutting-edge manufacturing to bring more capital investment into our Commonwealth.”
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