Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) defeated Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) in Virginia’s gubernatorial election on Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ, becoming the first woman to serve as governor of the commonwealth.
Her victory in the closely watched bellwether state will be touted by the Democrats’ moderate wing in particular, as the party wrestles with how to define itself heading into next year’s midterm elections.
Spanberger first came onto the political scene in 2018 when she ousted former Republican Rep. Dave Brat in the state’s 7th Congressional District. She served in Congress, where she had a history of working with Republicans, from 2019 to the beginning of 2025.
Spanberger’s gubernatorial campaign kicked off two years ago, and while there was speculation Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) was considering a run as well, the former congresswoman went unchallenged in the primary.
Her campaign was defined by its highly disciplined nature, with Spanberger staying focused on her affordability message and defending Virginia from the impacts of President Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce.