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Over two and a half centuries, Virginia has had 74 governors, all of them male. On Tuesday, Abigail Spanberger overcame this historic barrier by being elected as the first female governor in the commonwealth's records.

A Campaign Focused On Cost-of-Living Issues and Strategic Opposition

The former US congresswoman and CIA operative triumphed with a campaign that highlighted cost-of-living issues and deliberately opposed Donald Trump's policies instead of the individual.

Background and Academic Journey

Born in Red Bank, New Jersey on 7 August 1979, she moved to a Richmond area at age 13. Her father was an army veteran who later worked in law enforcement; her mother was a healthcare professional and community helper.

She enrolled in the University of Virginia, obtaining a diploma in French literature. After graduating, she worked briefly as a classroom instructor before turning to a life of service.

“I was raised understanding that I wanted to emulate my father and I did,” Spanberger shared with attendees at a gathering in coastal Virginia last Saturday.

Professional Path

At the Postal Service, she investigated involving drugs, child predators and money launderers. She executed legal orders, often being the sole female on the operation squad. She then joined the CIA and specialized in counter-terrorism cases, working covertly and abroad.

Family Decision

In that year, she and her husband Adam, an engineer, faced a decision. Living on the west coast, they were contemplating another foreign posting. They pulled out a world map and asked their eldest daughter, then in kindergarten, where they should go. the commonwealth, she replied, because “everyone we love lives in Virginia”.

Spanberger stated at her rally: “And so we opted to shift from a national duty, to service to community because she was right. Everyone we love lives in Virginia.”

Entry into Politics

Back in the commonwealth, she participated in a grassroots group, which combats gun violence, and started a youth group. In 2017, she decided to campaign for the House, which people told her was a “long shot” because no Democrat had won the congressional seat in 50 years.

“But I witnessed what Donald Trump was doing with his executive power and how he was dividing communities. And I saw my member of Congress consistently vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And I felt I had to step up. So for the record: I won.”

Bipartisan Reputation

In Washington, she rapidly became part of the Blue Dog Coalition, a collection of centrist and fiscally moderate lawmakers. She prioritized less visible matters: expanding broadband to rural areas, combating drug trafficking and veterans’ services.

She built a reputation for partnering with colleagues across the aisle and was frequently recognized as the most cooperative representative of the Virginia delegation. She was outspoken about political rhetoric that she felt turned off independents, cautioning her party against ideological slogans that could be used against them in contested districts.

The "Mod Squad"

Along with Congresswomen Elissa Slotkin and an ex-navy pilot, she was labeled a member of the “mod squad” in contrast to the progressive “squad” of the New York representative.

State Leadership Bid

In that autumn, she declared she would leave Congress for a another term and would rather run for governor in the next election.

Her campaign highlighted ideas of civic duty, advocacy for education and infrastructure and protection of governing systems. Her federal service gave her authority on national security issues and she spoke of government work as a calling instead of a job.

Successful Campaign

This helped her to counter Republican opponent her challenger's criticisms on cultural issues, notably the claim that Spanberger is an extremist on individual freedoms and medical services for the LGBTQ+ community.

Spanberger, who maintained that communities should decide whether transgender students can join school athletics, portrayed her opponent as the candidate more misaligned with the mainstream of the Virginia electorate.