Six years ago, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill were roommates and freshman members of Congress, part of a record-breaking wave of women who helped Democrats win back the US House. On Tuesday,

Spanberger, who served as the U.S. Representative for Virginia's District 7 from 2015 until 2025, was the only Democrat to file to run in this year's gubernatorial race.

Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger has won Virginia’s election for governor. Her win gives Democrats a boost heading into the 2026 midterm elections and compels Republicans to consider how President Donald Trump and his allies might fare in battleground states and districts.

In her campaign, Abigail Spanberger focused on jobs and the cost of living and emphasized her support for abortion rights.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger beat Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in a race heralded as a bellwether for next year's midterm elections.

"I don't care that much about what happens in the city of New York," Spanberger said on the campaign trail. Other Democrats should listen.

Abigail Spanberger is projected to win the Virginia governor’s election, defeating Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger had an early lead in the polls across the state, which leaned blue in the 2024 election and overwhelmingly voted for Kamala Harris.

Sears, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, has aligned her gubernatorial campaign with President Trump’s agenda. She has championed lower taxes, stricter immigration enforcement and tough-on-crime policies.