What Virginians Need from Spanberger’s Administration
Will Democrats in Virginia be able to capitalize on the 2025 “blue wave?”
By Vencetia Flournoy
The blue wave
Coming out of the 2025 state election cycle, many Americans were excited to see a Democratic wave take the country by storm. In Virginia, the future of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration brings hope to the state after the friction of a split government for the past few years. Spanberger has made her name as a face of moderate politics, with an appealing and digestible message of compromise and dignity. She won the general election with over 500,000 more votes than her challenger, flipping Virginia’s executive branch from red to blue.
With the upcoming 2026 midterms, Democrats desperately need this momentum to endure. After making national headlines by flipping the state, Governor-elect Spanberger’s administration will be a test of this moderate and popular wave of the Democratic Party, with voters watching from across the country. After sweeping the election and becoming the first woman to win the Virginia gubernatorial race, the pressure is on for Spanberger’s administration to keep the goodwill of moderate voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections. This survival will be critical for Democrats to flip Congress, one of the only options for reigning in President Trump’s iron-fisted leadership. To accomplish this, her administration must rely on staying true to policy promises and executing new policy ideas whose benefits voters can clearly measure and feel.
Policies
In the current political setting, the economy and affordability are front of mind for most Virginians. At rallies, donor events, and online, Spanberger made this a cornerstone of her campaign, giving speeches that promised to continue investing in Virginia’s economic well-being. This, in conjunction with a promise to promote affordable housing initiatives, should be a primary goal of her administration. Policies could include incentivizing the construction of affordable homes, eliminating the car tax, or lowering prescription drug costs by reigning in pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs). These goals might be aiming high, but with a unified state executive and legislature, they are certainly achievable.
Another issue pressing Virginians has been the extensive layoffs of federal workers across Northern Virginia. Virginia is home to over 320,000 federal workers, and even more who work on government contracts. Many small businesses and restaurants have grown to rely on federal employees and have built economic ecosystems dependent on that upstream flow of income. With so many in our Commonwealth now struggling from federal layoffs, the new administration must work to cushion the blow, or else committees stand to face an economic crisis. To mitigate these effects, Spanberger’s team should support workforce development and explore options for more diverse employment opportunities for former federal employees. By diversifying careers and income flow in Northern Virginia’s communities, stable economic stimulation can revive communities hit hard by these immense federal layoffs, both for individuals and businesses.
Another concern for families is education, something Spanberger has also promised to act on. While she supports investing in public education and opposes private school voucher programs, there is an opportunity that could be her key to success. In Newport News, VA, An Achievable Dream Academy (AAD) is accomplishing something innovative and fascinating by providing a publicly funded, high-quality education to the most disadvantaged inner-city students. With a 100% graduation rate and testing scores that outperform other schools, this model can be replicated to help solve the crisis of education inequity that plagues our communities. Spanberger’s team should investigate policy methods for expanding this type of program across the state to invest in our most economically disadvantaged communities and build a stronger future for Virginians. The answer to education inequity is hanging fruit in a formula laid out clearly by AAD; all the state needs to do is take it.
One last thing to note: this year, the Democratic-held Virginia House now has the political dominance needed to propose and pass a constitutional amendment for Virginia that would codify abortion and birth control access across the Commonwealth. While this policy initiative lives in the legislature, the executive will also likely gain political points if the amendment is a success. With the blue wave this election season, Virginia Democrats have a clear pathway for delivering on their longstanding promise of protecting healthcare access and preventing future abortion bans in the state. This policy is generally popular in Virginia and may end up on the ballot for a referendum vote in the coming years, likely carrying Governor-elect Spanberger’s support.
The bottom line
Above all, Governor-elect Spanberger’s administration has set a high bar on the campaign trail, with many promises to deliver for Virginians. Many of her voters will be watching their wallets and their news outlets closely for evidence that she has delivered on her policy ideas. With a Democratic majority in the state government, there are very few at the state level that could stop the administration from delivering impactful solutions. We have faith that Spanberger will act with a powerful and steady hand, providing policy solutions that we can see and feel as regular Virginians, especially if Democrats wish to continue the momentum of a blue wave into the 2026 midterm cycle. Democrats currently have an upper hand on the GOP, but if they disappoint, Virginia and the national election could easily flip back to red and continue the unified MAGA front, a shortcoming the Democrats and the country cannot afford.