Spanberger Wins Virginia Governor’s Race as Democrats Retake Control of Richmond
Democrats have reclaimed the Virginia Governor’s Mansion, with former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Tuesday’s high-stakes election — marking a sharp reversal from Glenn Youngkin’s surprise GOP victory in 2021.
Spanberger, a former CIA officer turned congresswoman, was declared the winner within an hour of polls closing. Multiple outlets, including Decision Desk HQ, called the race early, citing a substantial lead that matched late polling trends.
The victory puts Democrats back in control of the state executive branch, which had been under Republican leadership since Youngkin’s education-focused win over Terry McAuliffe. Spanberger, by contrast, benefited from a favorable national environment, massive ad spending, and a calculated decision to campaign against President Trump’s influence more than her direct opponent.
She held a solid polling lead in the final stretch, with surveys showing her ahead by as much as 15 points. That polling advantage translated into real momentum on Election Day, flipping the governor’s mansion back to blue in what had become a closely watched bellwether for 2026.
Virginia’s recent trend of opposing the party in the White House played against Earle-Sears from the outset. The state has typically chosen governors from the party not holding the presidency — a pattern only broken once since 1976. With Trump back in the White House, many Democrats seized the opportunity to frame the race as a referendum on his leadership.
Spanberger ran a disciplined campaign, steering clear of direct attacks on Earle-Sears and instead focusing on broader national themes, including abortion rights and healthcare. Her campaign and allied PACs poured more than $50 million into advertising, dwarfing the GOP’s $25 million.
“There’s more than a two-to-one spending advantage,” pollster Brent Buchanan noted ahead of the vote. “At some point, it’s just hard to come back from that.”
Earle-Sears briefly gained ground amid controversy surrounding Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones, but the bump faded quickly as the story lost media traction.
At the time Spanberger was declared the winner, the attorney general race remained razor-close, with Decision Desk HQ projecting that incumbent Republican Jason Miyares and Jones were separated by only a few percentage points.
Spanberger, who first won her House seat in 2018 during the anti-Trump wave, is now poised to play a key role in shaping Virginia’s political future — and potentially the Democratic Party’s national bench. Her return to statewide office comes amid renewed Democratic energy in the state and shifting demographics that continue to frustrate GOP hopes of long-term control.