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Abigail Spanberger

Updated: Wikipedia source

Abigail Spanberger

Abigail Anne Davis Spanberger ( SPAN-bur-gər; née Davis; born August 7, 1979) is an American politician and former intelligence officer who is the governor-elect of Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, she served from 2019 to 2025 as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district. Spanberger was elected governor of Virginia in 2025, defeating Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears. She is the first woman to be elected governor of the state.

Infobox

Lieutenant
Ghazala Hashmi (elect)
Succeeding
Glenn Youngkin
Preceded by
Dave Brat
Succeeded by
Eugene Vindman
Born
Abigail Anne Davis (1979-08-07) August 7, 1979 (age 46)Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party
Democratic
Spouse
mw- Adam Spanberger (m. 2006)
Children
3
Education
mw- University of Virginia (BA)Purdue University (MBA)
Website
Official website
Allegiance
United States
Service branch
Central Intelligence Agency
Service years
2006–2014
Rank
Operations officer
Party
Democratic

Tables

2018 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[116][117] · Electoral history › 2018
Party
Party
Primary election
Party
Primary election
Candidate
Primary election
Votes
Primary election
%
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
45,693
Primary election
100.00
General election
General election
Primary election
General election
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
349,803
Primary election
100.00
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Abigail Spanberger
33,210
72.68
Democratic
Daniel Ward
12,483
27.32
Total votes
45,693
100.00
General election
Democratic
Abigail Spanberger
176,079
50.34
Republican
Dave Brat (incumbent)
169,295
48.40
Libertarian
Joe Walton
4,216
1.21
Write-in
213
0.06
Total votes
349,803
100.00
Democratic gain from Republican
2020 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[118] · Electoral history › 2020
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
454,339
Candidate
100.00
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Abigail Spanberger (incumbent)
230,893
50.82
Republican
Nick Freitas
222,623
49.00
Write-in
823
0.18
Total votes
454,339
100.00
Democratic hold
2022 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[119] · Electoral history › 2022
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
274,590
Candidate
100.00
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Abigail Spanberger (incumbent)
143,357
52.21
Republican
Yesli Vega
130,586
47.56
Write-in
647
0.24
Total votes
274,590
100.00
Democratic hold
2025 Virginia gubernatorial election[120] · Electoral history › 2025
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
3,433,340
Candidate
100.00
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Abigail Spanberger
1,976,857
57.58
Republican
Winsome Earle-Sears
1,449,586
42.22
Write-in
6,897
0.20
Total votes
3,433,340
100.00
Democratic gain from Republican
· External links
Party political offices
Party political offices
U.S. House of Representatives
Party political offices
Preceded byTerry McAuliffe
Preceded byTerry McAuliffe
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byTerry McAuliffe
U.S. House of Representatives
Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia 2025
U.S. House of Representatives
Most recent
Political offices
Political offices
U.S. House of Representatives
Political offices
Preceded byGlenn Youngkin
Preceded byGlenn Youngkin
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byGlenn Youngkin
U.S. House of Representatives
Governor of Virginia Taking office 2026
U.S. House of Representatives
Elect
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byScott Rigellas Former U.S. Representative
Preceded byScott Rigellas Former U.S. Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byScott Rigellas Former U.S. Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Former U.S. Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byJennifer Wextonas Former U.S. Representative
House of Representatives
Preceded byDave Brat
Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Virginia's 7th congressional district 2019–2025
Succeeded byEugene Vindman
Party political offices
Preceded byTerry McAuliffe
Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia 2025
Most recent
Political offices
Preceded byGlenn Youngkin
Governor of Virginia Taking office 2026
Elect
order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byScott Rigellas Former U.S. Representative
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Former U.S. Representative
Succeeded byJennifer Wextonas Former U.S. Representative

References

  1. Virginia Elections Database
    https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/candidates/view/Abigail-Anne-Davis-Spanberger/
  2. University of Virginia Magazine
    https://www2.alumni.virginia.edu/ClassNotes/PersonHistory.aspx?personId=19237
  3. Inside Elections
    https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/candidate-conversation-abigail-spanberger-d
  4. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/05/abigail-spanberger-virginia-governor/
  5. Vozzella, Laura (November 12, 2023). "Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger to Run for Governor in 2025." MSN.com. Retrieved
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/virginia-rep-abigail-spanberger-to-run-for-governor-in-2025/ar-AA1jQhnN
  6. Richmond Times-Dispatch
    https://richmond.com/spanberger-on-her-victory-i-want-to-be-accountable/article_6e9b963f-7bd7-5857-aaaf-1c7955cc20c9.html
  7. "Abigail Spanberger's passion for languages led her to the CIA"
    https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/abgail-spanberger-s-passion-for-languages-led-her-to-the/article_d99787c8-8f5a-5e99-946c-be207565f62f.html
  8. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/saudi-school-dominates-tv-ads-in-race-for-suburban-richmond-congressional-seat/2018/09/11/1f8ad70a-b5d4-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html
  9. "This former CIA officer says she can beat Virginia Rep. Dave Brat"
    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/abigail-spanberger-the-former-cia-officer-challenging-rep-dave-brat
  10. "Former CIA Officer Abigail Spanberger is on a mission for Virginia's 7th District"
    https://rvamag.com/politics/virginia-politics/former-cia-agent-abigail-spanberger-is-on-a-mission-for-virginias-7th-district.html
  11. "The operative: Abigail Spanberger"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20181009204400/https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/the-operative-abigail-spanberger
  12. Who are they? Virginia's fresh faces in Congress, WTKR, Nick Boykin, January 4, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
    https://www.wtkr.com/2019/01/04/who-are-they-virginias-fresh-faces-in-congress/
  13. www.msn.com
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nick-freitas-squares-off-against-incumbent-abigail-spanberger-in-virginias-7th-congressional-district/ar-BB18txqd
  14. "Eric Cantor loses GOP primary to tea party challenger Dave Brat"
    https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/eric-cantor-loses-gop-primary-dave-brat
  15. "Abigail Spanberger becomes the fifth female candidate vying for the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Congressman Dave Brat"
    http://www.elle.com/culture/news/a46527/abigail-spanberger-to-run-against-republican-congressman-dave-brat/
  16. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/its-grilling-time-five-women-line-up-to-challenge-rep-brat/2017/07/24/c71071ae-6bfe-11e7-9c15-177740635e83_story.html
  17. "Abigail Spanberger easily defeats Dan Ward in 7th District Democratic primary"
    https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/abigail-spanberger-easily-defeats-dan-ward-in-th-district-democratic/article_8fb56fc7-89da-54b6-92b0-6274ed458f3f.html
  18. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/live-updates/midterms/live-primary-election-results/spanberger-wins-democratic-primary-in-virginias-7th-congressional-district/
  19. CNBC
    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/31/democrat-suffers-the-kind-of-smear-john-mccain-would-recognize.html
  20. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/virginia-house-district-7
  21. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/election/2018/results/virginia/house
  22. "Open Secrets breakdown of the 7th District"
    https://www.opensecrets.org/races/geography?cycle=2018&id=VA07
  23. Mother Jones
    https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/11/abigail-spanberger-just-beat-tea-party-darling-dave-brat-in-virginia/
  24. "After nearly 50 years of Republican control, this Virginia House district could flip to the Democrats"
    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/01/democrat-abigail-spanberger-could-upset-gop-rep-dave-brat-in-virginia.html
  25. See, for instance, a map of the 7th in 1990
    https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=34664
  26. See, for instance, a map of the 3rd in 1990
    https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=34659
  27. Semafor
    https://www.semafor.com/article/05/12/2024/democrats-are-about-to-lose-their-mod-squad
  28. POLITICO
    https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/photos-new-women-of-congress/
  29. "Virginia House Results"
    https://www.cnn.com/election/2020/results/state/virginia/house/district-7
  30. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-virginia-house-district-7.html
  31. Virginia presidential results by congressional district Archived January 2, 2021, at the Wayback Machine from Virginia D
    https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2020%20November%20General/Site/Presidential.html
  32. nbc12.com
    https://www.nbc12.com/2020/11/04/abigail-spanberger-declares-victory-over-freitas-th-congressional-district-race/
  33. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/spanberger-criticizes-democrats-strategy-in-caucus-call/2020/11/05/6ec2b368-258a-4061-9738-d83ee8971c3c_video.html
  34. ABC News
    https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/failure-house-democrats-grapple-surprise-2020-losses/story?id=74048497
  35. News Outlet
  36. CNN
  37. News Outlet
  38. News Outlet
  39. The Washington Post
  40. News Outlet
  41. Associated Press
    https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-virginia-stafford-congress-2d6c0e9415cdea83d02f6fc07a45943c
  42. "'A breath fresh air'—Youngkin endorses Vega for Virginia's 7th Congressional District"
    https://starexponent.com/news/local/a-breath-fresh-air-youngkin-endorses-vega-for-virginias-7th-congressional-district/article_a038f9d5-54dc-54d9-9c6d-b3412b4f03f4.html
  43. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-virginia-us-house-district-7.html
  44. NBC News
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/spanberger-narrowly-defeats-gop-challenger-closely-watched-house-race-rcna55913
  45. FiveThirtyEight
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250306201940/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/abigail-spanberger/
  46. "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index"
    https://www.cookpolitical.com/introducing-2017-cook-political-report-partisan-voter-index
  47. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/09/24/seven-freshman-democrats-these-allegations-are-threat-all-we-have-sworn-protect/
  48. "Vulnerable Democrats to vote to impeach Trump"
    https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/16/ben-mcadams-vote-to-impeach-trump-086215
  49. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/us/politics/trump-congress-protesters-tear-gas.html
  50. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/cia-veterans-who-monitored-crackdowns-abroad-see-troubling-parallels-in-trump-handling-of-protests/2020/06/02/7ab210b8-a4f6-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html
  51. International Business Times
    https://www.ibtimes.com/george-floyd-white-house-protest-donald-trump-acting-dictator-during-racial-tensions-2987325
  52. Business Insider
    https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-teargas-photo-op-was-frightening-to-authoritarianism-experts-2020-6
  53. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/spanberger-freitas-7th-district/2020/09/11/786c30a8-eead-11ea-b4bc-3a2098fc73d4_story.html
  54. PolitiFact
    https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/aug/11/yesli-vega/spanberger-agrees-biden-most-time/
  55. "This Democrat thinks Joe Biden fundamentally misunderstood his mandate"
    https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/04/politics/abigail-spanberger-joe-biden-2021/index.html
  56. Business Insider
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211114193532/https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/moderate-democratic-rep-abigail-spanberger-says-americans-didnt-elect-biden-to-be-fdr/articleshow/87561059.cms
  57. "SPANBERGER SELECTED TO SERVE ON U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS & U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE"
    https://spanberger.house.gov/media/press-releases/spanberger-selected-serve-us-house-committee-foreign-affairs-us-house-committee
  58. "Peterson Announces House Agriculture Subcommittee Chairs for the 116th Congress"
    https://agriculture.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1361
  59. "About the CEC"
    https://equality.house.gov/about-cec/membership
  60. New Democrat Coalition
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190203181224/https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/new-democrat-coalition-inducts-30-members-elect-and-elects-new
  61. Problem Solvers Caucus
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210318093950/https://problemsolverscaucus-gottheimer.house.gov/members
  62. "Membership"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20240918182046/https://bush.house.gov/era/about/membership
  63. "Rare Disease Congressional Caucus"
    https://everylifefoundation.org/rare-advocates/rarecaucus/rarecaucus-members/
  64. POLITICO
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/13/abigail-spanberger-virginia-governor-00126815
  65. WVEC
    https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/democrat-abigail-spanberger-virginia-governor-race-nomination/291-15928e93-3546-4e91-ba91-20cf331c6809
  66. "Abigail Spanberger says she won't sign bill to fully repeal Virginia's right-to-work law"
    https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/8news-exclusive-abigail-spanberger-says-she-wont-sign-bill-to-fully-repeal-virginias-right-to-work-law/
  67. WVTF
    https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-04-28/virginias-right-to-work-law-will-again-be-a-big-campaign-topic-this-year
  68. Virginia Scope
    https://www.virginiascope.com/clean-virginia-tops-dominion-in-democratic-primaries/
  69. Virginia Scope
    https://www.virginiascope.com/clean-virginia-and-dominion-energy-face-off-again-in-statewide-primary/
  70. Virginia Mercury
    https://virginiamercury.com/2025/09/02/va-governor-candidates-weigh-in-on-resilience-plans-as-chesapeake-bay-foundation-pinpoints-conservation-goals/
  71. Associated Press News
    https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1
  72. Virginia Department of Elections
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  73. Cardinal News
    https://cardinalnews.org/2025/11/05/13-reasons-why-spanberger-and-the-democrats-won-so-big-trump-is-just-one-of-them/
  74. The Commonwealth Times
    https://commonwealthtimes.org/2025/11/05/spanberger-hashmi-and-jones-win-election-in-clean-blue-sweep/
  75. wusa9.com
    https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/virginia-governor-elect-spanberger-identifies-transition-team/65-89458980-c600-4e28-826d-4aaa284ff0e4
  76. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/06/spanberger-youngkin-virginia-governor-transition/
  77. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/12/spanberger-uva-president-search/
  78. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/11/22/spanberger-blasts-youngkin-virginia-college-boards/
  79. WVTF
    https://www.wvtf.org/post/democrats-didnt-always-pick-most-progressive-candidate-and-might-help-them-november
  80. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/12/26/spanberger-virginia-governor-democrats-trump/
  81. WCVE-FM
    https://www.vpm.org/news/2022-08-10/politifact-va-spanberger-backs-biden-in-congress-but-they-dont-agree-on-every
  82. Channel 3, WTKR
    https://wtkr.com/2019/01/04/virginia-congresswoman-one-of-12-democrats-to-oppose-pelosis-bid-for-speaker/
  83. Richmond Times-Dispatch
    https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/a-look-at-where-brat-and-spanberger-stand-on-the/article_d92a8931-cc2d-5493-ae86-8fe96dcdfcde.html
  84. Associated Press
    https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-inflation-race-and-ethnicity-b457fbe13bb8ea314fb582b7c69d56d8#
  85. pbs.org
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  86. "House passes resolution to end COVID-19 national emergency"
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  87. "On Passage - H.J.RES.7: Relating to a national emergency declared by"
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  88. "Seven Democrats join Republicans in vote to lift vaccine mandate for healthcare workers"
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  89. "On Passage - H.R.497: To eliminate the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on"
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  90. WJLA
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  92. The Washington Post
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  93. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/08/21/virginia-7th-policing-spanberger-vega/
  94. "Spanberger Pushes for Final Progress on USMCA: "We Need to Get this Done""
    https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2276
  95. "Why these Democrats want to make a trade deal with Trump"
    https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/31/democrats-trade-trump-1691486
  96. Richmond Times-Dispatch
    https://richmond.com/news/virginia/spanberger-opposes-latest-stimulus-package-saying-it-goes-far-beyond-pandemic-relief/article_c0d7b166-59aa-5204-b2c3-21d85fa5b3ab.html
  97. Augusta Free Press
    https://web.archive.org/web/20201115150716/https://augustafreepress.com/spanberger-leads-bipartisan-effort-to-save-340b-drug-pricing-program/
  98. The Hill
    https://thehill.com/homenews/house/586499-pelosi-faces-pushback-over-stock-trade-defense
  99. Karl Evers-Hillstrom. (May 11, 2023). "Lawmakers call for markup on stock trading ban before August recess". The Hill we
    https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3999599-lawmakers-call-for-markup-on-stock-trading-ban-before-august-recess/
  100. Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/09/25/abigail-spanberger-trump-doge-cuts-virginia-economy/
  101. Virginia Mercury
    https://virginiamercury.com/briefs/spanberger-supports-reforming-appointment-process-to-reconcile-differences-at-va-s-colleges/
  102. vadogwood.com
    https://vadogwood.com/2025/06/26/abigail-spanberger-its-time-to-get-culture-wars-out-of-our-schools-and-let-teachers-teach/
  103. The WELL
    https://web.archive.org/web/20191217011452/https://www.thewellnews.com/citing-threats-to-national-security-representative-elaine-luria-va-2-takes-climate-change-head-on/
  104. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/rep-abigail-spanberger-quizzed-on-immigration-in-first-town-hall/2019/02/19/91305d08-3478-11e9-854a-7a14d7fec96a_story.html
  105. Politico
    https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/02-21-2023/dems-join-f-16-call/
  106. MiddleNeckNews.com
    https://middlenecknews.com/local-news/virginia-gubernatorial-candidates-back-trump-strike-on-iran/
  107. NBC12
    https://www.nbc12.com/2020/01/17/spanberger-bill-aims-shed-light-prescription-drug-pricing/
  108. Augusta Free Press
    https://augustafreepress.com/news/virginia-democrats-pushing-abortion-gay-marriage-voting-rights-measures/
  109. Congress.gov
    https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5
  110. "Roll Call 217 Roll Call 217, Bill Number: H. R. 5, 116th Congress, 1st Session"
    https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2019217
  111. Ballotpedia
    https://ballotpedia.org/Respect_for_Marriage_Act_of_2022
  112. Metro Weekly
    https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/04/hrc-backs-abigail-spanberger-for-virginia-governor/
  113. Orange County Review
    https://www.dailyprogress.com/orangenews/news/election-dave-brat-and-abigail-spanberger/article_57c32228-dea4-11e8-9ae9-4bba41330633.html
  114. richmondmagazine.com
    https://richmondmagazine.com/news/field-notes/moms-rule/
  115. Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project
    https://www.pewforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/01/Detailed-tables-NUMBER-CHECK-COMPLETE-1-3.pdf
  116. Results.elections.virginia.gov
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180617023220/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2018%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Congress.html
  117. "Official Results, 2018 November General"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20181108141328/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2018%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html
  118. 2020 November General Election Official Results
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210203012722/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2020%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html
  119. 2022 November General Election Official Results
    https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2022%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html
  120. Virginia Department of Elections
    https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/virginia/elections/2025-November-General
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