Abigail Spanberger | ARLnow.com

Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first woman governor

Published January 17, 2026 at 5:45PM

Gov. Abigail Spanberger attends an inaugural ceremony after she was sworn in as Virginia's first female governor, at the Capitol in Richmond Va., Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Amid a cold drizzle, Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn into office Saturday at the state Capitol as Virginia’s first female governor after centuries of men holding the state’s top office.

The inauguration of Spanberger, who defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, marks a new chapter in Virginia as Democrats pull the levers of power in state government while Republican President Donald Trump sits in the White House in neighboring Washington.

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‘Right to work’ unlikely to change much in Va. this year, union and business leaders agree

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 15, 2026 at 2:45PM

Workers calling for unionization at Hyatt Regency Crystal City in 2024 (courtesy of UNITE HERE Local 25)

Representatives of both the business community and organized labor voiced skepticism at a recent forum that an end to Virginia’s right-to-work law is on the horizon for 2026.

“Right to work is not a big thing to us right now,” said Don Slaiman, political coordinator for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26.

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How shifts in N. Va. and other populous areas turned Virginia more Democratic

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 13, 2026 at 2:45PM

John Milliken discusses Virginia's political evolution (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A recent presentation from a former local official examined Virginia’s three-decade statewide transformation from politically red to purple to now (maybe) blue.

John Milliken, former County Board member and Virginia Secretary of Transportation, explored the Old Dominion’s political evolution at the gubernatorial level from the narrow 2001 election of Mark Warner to the 2025 landslide bringing Abigail Spanberger into office.

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Assault weapons ban could have new path forward under Gov. Spanberger, lawmakers say

By Jared Serre

Published January 12, 2026 at 8:30AM | Updated January 20, 2026 at 12:03PM

Abigail Spanberger speaks at a Nov. 2025 campaign rally in Falls Church (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Several Democratic policymakers have high hopes for a bill to crack down on assault weapons once Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger takes office.

Legislation to outlaw any sales or transfers of new “assault firearms” passed both chambers in each of the last two legislative sessions, but was vetoed upon reaching the desk of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

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Spanberger becomes governor next week at full weekend of festivities in Richmond

By Emily Leayman

Published January 9, 2026 at 3:45PM

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Abigail Spanberger is set to be sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor next week at an inauguration bookended by other events and festivities in Richmond.

The Democrat is scheduled to take the oath of office at noon on Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Virginia State Capitol Building, in the centerpiece of an inauguration weekend with the theme “United for Virginia’s Future.”

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Smart growth and a more stable economy among 2026 goals for County Board chair

By Dan Egitto

Published December 19, 2025 at 10:00AM

County Board Chair Takis Karantonis at a meeting earlier this year (screenshot via Arlington County)

At the close of a tumultuous economic year for Arlington, County Board Chair Takis Karantonis is seeking a return to stability and continued focus on infrastructure goals in 2026.

Karantonis, who is coming to the end of his one-year turn at the County Board chairmanship, used an interview with Fox 5 yesterday (Thursday) to emphasize the hardship that 2025 has brought to many of Arlington’s federal workers, immigrant communities and businesses large and small.

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Arlington Democrats hold up local and statewide wins as rebuke of Trump

By Dan Egitto and Scott McCaffrey

Published November 5, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated November 5, 2025 at 10:18AM

County Board Chair Takis Karantonis addresses supporters following his reelection on Tuesday, Nov. 4 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Arlington Democrats celebrated big wins at both the local and state level yesterday (Tuesday), connecting voters’ decisions to the Trump administration’s impacts on Virginia.

In speeches before a jubilant crowd at Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse, several victors in Arlington’s blue sweep lifted up the success of gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and other Democrats in statewide races on Election Day.

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UPDATED: Abigail Spanberger elected Virginia governor, Hashmi lieutenant governor

By The Associated Press

Published November 4, 2025 at 8:15PM | Updated November 4, 2025 at 10:23PM

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor’s race Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first woman ever to lead the commonwealth.

Spanberger’s victory will flip partisan control of the governor’s office when she succeeds outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

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LIVE: Election results for governor, attorney general and other races affecting Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published November 4, 2025 at 6:30PM

Campaign signs outside Yorktown High School (staff photo by Jared Serre)

As election results roll in tonight, ARLnow will be tracking the outcome of races affecting Arlington and Virginia as a whole.

Three of the highest offices in Virginia are on the ballot this year, as are three seats representing Arlington in the House of Delegates.

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Election Day begins smoothly in Arlington after strong early voting turnout

By Dan Egitto

Published November 4, 2025 at 11:35AM

The polling place at The Jefferson in Ballston on Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Election Day is off to a smooth start in Arlington, with about 8% voter turnout as of 9 a.m. following strong in-person early voting.

About 32,000 Arlington voters cast early in-person ballots this year, compared to 27,800 during the last gubernatorial election. However, mail-in ballots are down compared to 2021, a pandemic year: around 9,800 were cast this year compared to 14,800 in 2021.

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Spanberger hosts Falls Church rally with Sens. Warner and Kaine

By Jared Serre

Published November 3, 2025 at 1:30PM

Abigail Spanberger speaks to a Falls Church crowd while Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner look on (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger hosted one of her final rallies of the election season in Falls Church yesterday (Sunday).

Helping the Democrat make her closing argument to Northern Virginia voters at the State Theatre ahead of Tuesday’s election were two men who previously held the governor’s seat: Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, the state’s incumbent U.S. senators.

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Spanberger backs Virginia legislature’s redistricting push

By The Associated Press

Published October 28, 2025 at 8:30AM

FILE - Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., speaks during an interview at Libbie Mill Library in Henrico County, Va., Nov. 25, 2024, after she announced she will run for Virginia governor. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly, File)

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, said Monday that she would not oppose a push by the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature to redraw congressional districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

Virginia Democrats earlier in the day began taking steps to change the state’s constitution to allow for a new congressional map, a change that must ultimately be approved by voters before it becomes law. The change is designed to counter President Donald Trump’s push to create more partisan districts in several Republican-run states.