Democrat Abigail Spanberger elected Virginia’s first female governor, former CIA officer defeats Republican Winsome Earle-Sears

Former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia’s governor race, securing a key victory for Democrats, reported AP. A former CIA case officer, Spanberger first gained prominence in 2018 after flipping a US House seat in Northern Virginia. She retired from Congress in 2024 to run for governor and now becomes Virginia’s first female governor.

Also on Tuesday, Democrat Ghazala F. Hashmi won the race for lieutenant governor, succeeding Winsome Earle-Sears. Hashmi’s victory marks a historic milestone, as she becomes the first Muslim woman ever elected to statewide office in the United States.

Earle-Sears, who trailed in fundraising and lacked President Donald Trump’s endorsement, fell short against Spanberger, who will succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, barred from serving consecutive terms.


“We sent a message to every corner of the commonwealth, a message to our neighbors and our fellow Americans across the country,” Spanberger told cheering supporters, as quoted by AP, in Richmond. "We sent a message to the whole word that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.”

The win flips control of the governor’s mansion and underscores Trump’s shadow over the contest, despite local issues and candidate profiles shaping the race. Northern Virginia’s large federal workforce - affected by recent budget cuts and the government shutdown - also played a role.

Spanberger's victory follows Virginia’s long-standing trend of electing a governor from the party opposite the sitting president, as the state typically holds its gubernatorial contests the year after a presidential election.