Rep. Abigail Spanberger Announces 2025 Virginia Governor Run
- U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat from Virginia, has announced that she will not seek a fourth term and will instead run for Virginia governor in 2025. The former CIA officer is the first candidate from either party to formally announce their candidacy for the position.
- Spanberger has previously clashed with her party’s leadership and left flank. She has drawn national attention for unseating the Republican tea party favorite Dave Brat in Virginia’s 7th District in 2018, representing a longtime GOP stronghold. She has aligned with liberals on abortion rights but has opposed some Democratic policies, such as defunding the police. She also criticized the party’s messaging and negotiating tactics for President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
- Her early entry gives Democrats more time to recruit candidates for the 7th District, a competitive area. Spanberger’s announcement is also expected to push other potential candidates from both parties to hasten their own entries and begin fundraising for the campaign. The last governor’s race in Virginia cost the candidates a combined $137 million.
U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger to Run for Virginia Governor in 2025
Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and U.S. Representative, announced her plans to run for Virginia governor in 2025. She has released a campaign video and is the first candidate to announce her candidature for the governor’s race.
In a statement, Spanberger expressed her pride in representing Virginians in the U.S. House, and her intention to continue this service as the next Governor of Virginia. Spanberger’s early announcement will provide Democrats with more time to recruit candidates for her 7th District seat.
Spanberger’s decision is likely to encourage other potential candidates to announce their plans and kick-off their fundraising efforts.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, a Democrat, is expected to announce his intentions soon. On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason S. Miyares are expected to seek their party’s nomination.
CIA operative turned politician, Spanberger has used her past work in federal law enforcement and CIA to appeal to moderate voters, while energizing the Democratic base with her background as an organizer with the gun-control group Moms Demand Action.
She has been critical of her party’s messaging on President Biden’s original Build Back Better agenda and has publicly disagreed with Nancy Pelosi on occasion.
In her announcement video “What Matters Most,” Spanberger portrays herself as a public servant who gets things done despite Washington’s polarization. Her focus is on supporting veterans, small businesses, and fighting addiction, while standing against conservative culture wars, including bans on books and abortion.
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