Spanberger sworn in as first female governor of Virginia

Abigail Spanberger, a former Democratic congresswoman, was sworn in Saturday as the 75th governor of Virginia, becoming the first woman to hold the state’s top office since the commonwealth was founded.

Spanberger took the oath of office at noon on the South Portico of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond amid a chilly drizzle, drawing a crowd of supporters and political leaders for the historic event.

The former CIA case officer and three-term U.S. representative defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in the November 2025 election, flipping the state’s governorship from Republican to Democratic control.