Shortly after noon on Saturday, Abigail Spanberger took the oath of office to become the 75th person and first woman to serve as Virginia’s governor, promising voters she would make life more affordable as an even-keeled leader.
Within moments of addressing the crowd at Capitol Square in Richmond, Spanberger noted the pomp of the occasion, a subtle highlight of her own departure from the inauguration ceremonies before hers.
“An inauguration ceremony like this one, with all its tradition and pageantry, represents something profound,” she said. “Every four years, Virginians have the unique responsibility of choosing those leaders, as we all write the next chapter of our commonwealth’s story. And today, that tradition continues.”
It wasn’t the best weather for an outdoor inauguration — 45 degrees Fahrenheit and rainy — but thousands still congregated outside of Capitol Square for a spot on the risers or on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol, putting clear plastic ponchos, blankets and seat cushions between them and the cold.
The rain let up just before Spanberger took the podium.
Then, after the conventional series of thanks and recognitions, calls for unity and displays of military power like a flyover and cannon fire — and after telling the story of Virginia’s social progress through what historical figures said that stood where she did — Spanberger instructed the crowd to look forward with her.
“Most importantly, to the people of Virginia: We are beginning a new chapter in our commonwealth’s story. We need you to help us write it,” she said. “Today, we’re hearing the call to connect more deeply to our American experiment, to understand our shared history not as a single point in time, but as a lesson for how we create our more prosperous future. And so I ask: What will you do to help us author this next chapter?”
Spanberger’s last job in politics was in Congress. Beginning in 2019, she represented Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which stretched from Nottoway to Culpeper counties; after the 2023 redistricting, she represented parts of the I-95 corridor.
She opted not to run for re-election in 2024 to focus on her campaign for governor, in which she was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. In November, Spanberger won against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle–Sears in a landslide victory with over 57% of the vote.
Before elected politics, the Henrico County native and University of Virginia alumna worked for a decade as an officer in the Central Intelligence Agency. She was also an inspector for the United States Postal Inspection Service.
We do not have to see eye-to-eye on every issue in order to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on others.
—Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger
The Spanberger chapter of Virginia history starts with significant challenges: a Republican administration in Washington that has been openly hostile to Democratic states, state budget challenges and a first year already full of elections and referenda.
Spanberger reiterated the promises she made over the past two years on the campaign trail.
On energy, she promised to produce more and have “high energy users” pay their fair share. Power bills are increasing, and more power-hungry data centers are slated to come online during her term.
On health care, she promised to protect “health care access, cracking down on the middlemen who are driving up drug prices.” The challenges to middle-income people seeking health insurance are known to be dire nationwide. However, the full scale of those foregoing health insurance may not be known until April, as Virginia legislators were told earlier this week.
On jobs, she promised to protect federal workers as tens of thousands increasingly find themselves out of work due to federal policies.
And on agriculture, she promised to “expand opportunities” for farmers as tariffs change where Virginia agribusiness is finding customers.
Not least amongst those challenges are that of a possibly hostile federal administration and a more assertive General Assembly, which Spanberger acknowledged in her remarks.
“You are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities — betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values we celebrate here on these steps,” she said.
Beyond being caught between what seems to be legislators more resolute in their resistance to President Donald Trump, there are possible inter-familial debates on the horizon. Spanberger enters office with a one-party administration as well as Democratic majorities in both statehouse chambers.
“We will not agree on everything, but I speak from personal experience when I say that we do not have to see eye-to-eye on every issue in order to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on others,” she said. “Because Virginia has always been a place where we confront challenges; where we build coalitions; and where we prove that democracy still works.”
Democrats have a large, 64–36 majority in the House of Delegates and a 21–19 majority in the state Senate.
Copyright 2026 VPM
