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Throughout two and a half centuries, Virginia has had seventy-four state executives, all of them male. This week, Abigail Spanberger broke this longstanding tradition by winning the election as the first female governor in the commonwealth's records.

A Campaign Focused On Cost-of-Living Concerns and Targeted Opposition

The former US congresswoman and Central Intelligence Agency case officer triumphed with a campaign that focused on cost-of-living issues and deliberately targeted Donald Trump's policies instead of the president himself.

Background and Academic Journey

Hailing from in Red Bank, New Jersey on August 7, 1979, she relocated to a suburb of Richmond, Virginia at thirteen. Her dad was an military serviceman who subsequently pursued a career in law enforcement; her mom was a healthcare professional and community helper.

She attended the University of Virginia, receiving a diploma in French literature. Post-graduation, she worked briefly as a substitute teacher before pursuing a career in public service.

“I was raised understanding that I wanted to emulate my father and I did,” she told followers at a event in Norfolk, Virginia last Saturday.

Public Service Career

At the Postal Service, she handled involving narcotics, abusers and money launderers. She served court mandates, often being the sole female on the arrest team. She then joined the CIA and specialized in national security, working covertly and internationally.

Family Decision

In 2014, she and her husband Adam, an technical professional, faced a decision. Living on the west coast, they were contemplating another overseas assignment. They took out a globe and inquired of their eldest daughter, then in elementary school, where they should go. Virginia, she answered, because “family and friends reside in Virginia”.

Spanberger recalled at her rally: “And so we chose to pivot from a national duty, to service to community because she was right. All our relatives are in Virginia.”

Congressional Run

Back in Virginia, she joined a grassroots group, which addresses gun violence, and started a Girl Scout troop. In 2017, she decided to run for Congress, which people told her was a “crazy endeavour” because no Democrat had won the congressional seat in half a century.

“But I witnessed what Donald Trump was implementing with his authority and how he was dividing communities. And I saw my member of Congress over and over again vote to repeal the healthcare law. And I realized I had to do something. So spoiler: I was victorious.”

Moderate Stance

In the capital, she quickly became associated with the moderate Democrats, a collection of moderate and budget-conscious Democrats. She focused on less visible matters: expanding internet access to the countryside, fighting narcotics trade and support for former troops.

She quickly established a reputation for collaborating with opposing parties and was consistently rated as the most bipartisan representative of the Virginia delegation. She was vocal about messaging that she felt alienated moderate voters, warning her fellow Democrats against partisan language that could be used against them in swing areas.

Political Alliance

Along with Representatives Elissa Slotkin and Mikie Sherrill, she was labeled a member of the “pragmatic group” in opposition to the progressive “squad” of the New York representative.

Run for Governor

In November 2023, she announced she would step down for a another term and would rather run for governor in the next election.

Her campaign focused on ideas of public service, support for education and public works and protection of governing systems. Her intelligence experience gave her authority on defense issues and she spoke of public service as a calling instead of a career.

Election Victory

This enabled her to counter rival candidate her challenger's attacks on cultural issues, including the assertion that Spanberger is an radical on individual freedoms and health care for transgender people.

The governor-elect, who stated that communities should determine whether trans youth can participate in competitive sports, cast her opponent as the candidate more out of step with the center of the commonwealth's citizens.