Summary
Abigail Spanberger has been elected as Virginia's governor, becoming the first woman to hold this position in the state's history. She won 55% of the vote against Winsome Earle-Sears, who received 45%. Spanberger's win follows a pattern in Virginia of electing governors from a different political party than the current U.S. President.
Key Facts
- Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor race.
- She is the first woman governor of Virginia and the first from the Richmond area in over ten years.
- Spanberger won 55% of the votes, while Winsome Earle-Sears got 45%.
- Virginia has a history of electing governors from the opposite party of the U.S. President, known as the "Virginia curse."
- The U.S. has had only 51 female governors in its history.
- Spanberger focused on the effects of President Trump's administration in her campaign.
- Her opponent Earle-Sears was linked to President Trump in Spanberger's campaign.
- Spanberger's political profile rose in 2018 when she won a traditionally Republican congressional seat.
