At a Glance
- Democrat Abigail Spanberger became Virginia’s 75th governor and the first woman to hold the office since 1776.
- Democrats Ghazala F. Hashmi and Jay Jones also made history as lieutenant governor and attorney general.
- Spanberger signed 10 executive orders, including one rescinding a directive on immigration enforcement.
- Why it matters: The new Democratic administration will shape Virginia policy while Republican President Donald Trump occupies the White House.
Virginia entered a new political era Saturday as Abigail Spanberger took the oath of office on the Capitol steps, becoming the commonwealth’s first female governor after 248 years of male leadership.
Historic Firsts Across the Board
Spanberger, who defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, now leads a Democratic trifecta that includes two other trailblazers:
- Ghazala F. Hashmi, the first Muslim woman elected to statewide office in the United States, was sworn in as lieutenant governor with her hand on a Quran.
- Jay Jones, Virginia’s first Black attorney general, took the oath in the former capital of the Confederacy.
“The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me,” Spanberger told the crowd gathered under a cold drizzle. “I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today.”
Immediate Policy Shifts
Within minutes of the ceremony, Spanberger signed 10 executive orders that reversed several Youngkin-era policies. Most notably, she rescinded a 2024 directive that had ordered state law enforcement and corrections officers to assist federal immigration authorities.
“Local law enforcement should not be required to divert their limited resources to enforce federal civil immigration laws,” she explained.
The new governor campaigned on a promise to shield Virginia from what she termed the Trump administration’s “aggressive tactics.” On the trail she highlighted White House efforts to shrink the civil service, rising consumer costs, and changes that could destabilize the state’s health-care network.
In her address she offered a thinly veiled critique of the president: “I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington. You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs.”
Tradition and Symbolism
Virginia protocol calls for morning coats for men and dark suits for women at inaugurations, a tradition many guests followed Saturday-including the new governor’s husband. Spanberger, however, wore all white, a possible nod to the women’s suffrage movement. A gold pin on her long coat read: “One country. One destiny.”
She will be addressed formally as “Madam Governor” or, in some settings, “her excellency.”
Political Star Power
Prominent Democrats filled the Capitol grounds to witness the moment:
- New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
- U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Adam Schiff
Also seated behind Spanberger was former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, celebrating his 95th birthday. Wilder became the nation’s first elected African American governor when he was sworn in on the same Capitol steps in 1990.
“On these steps, Virginia inaugurated our 66th governor and our nation’s first elected African American governor,” Spanberger noted. “Gov. L. Douglas Wilder changed what so many of our fellow citizens believed was even possible.”
Democratic Momentum
Spanberger’s inauguration caps a Democratic rebound in Virginia. The party picked up 13 seats in the House of Delegates last year even as Republicans made gains nationwide in the 2024 presidential contest. State Democrats have pledged to work with the new governor on an ambitious agenda that includes redrawing Virginia’s congressional map ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
Key Takeaways
- Virginia has its first female governor in 248 years of statehood.
- Democrats now control every statewide office and both legislative chambers.
- Expect swift action on health care, voting rights, and immigration policy as the new administration positions itself against the Trump White House.
