Abigail Spanberger

A former CIA officer who won a GOP-held House seat in 2018, Spanberger won the 2025 Virginia governor's race by about 15 points and became the state's first woman governor in January 2026. She is not on the 2026 ballot but is one of the party's most-watched new executives.

Why it matters: Since taking office in January 2026, Gov. Spanberger signed about 1,132 bills from the 2026 session, including paid family and medical leave, a $15 minimum wage by 2028 and an assault firearms ban, while vetoing 31 bills, among them public-employee collective bargaining and retail cannabis sales.

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In Abigail's own words

**Abigail Spanberger**, Defending her vetoes in an interview with the Virginia Mercury, Jun 11 source

**Abigail Spanberger**, On lawsuits against Virginia's new assault firearms law, six months into her term, Jul 18 source

Where Abigail stands

Paid family leave: Signed a bill creating paid family and medical leave in Virginia. source
Minimum wage: Signed legislation raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2028. source
Gun safety: Signed a ban on the manufacture, sale or transfer of assault firearms and says the state will defend it in court. source
Electric bills and data centers: Urged regulators to make data centers pay for transmission lines built for them, which the State Corporation Commission ordered. source
Collective bargaining and cannabis: Vetoed public-employee collective bargaining and a retail cannabis market, citing local costs and the need for more time to build enforcement. source

The record

CIA officer, 2006–2014
U.S. representative for Virginia's 7th District, 2019–2025
Sworn in January 17, 2026, as Virginia's 75th governor and first woman in the office

Abigail Spanberger. Photo: U.S. House of Representatives, Public domain

Profile sources: 1, 2

Race data checked Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.