| Spanberger: “Thank You for the Trust You Have Placed in Me and It Is the Honor of My Lifetime to be Elected the 75th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia” |
RICHMOND, Va. — Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger this evening declared victory in the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election in remarks delivered to more than 1,500 supporters at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. — Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all so much. My fellow Virginians. Tonight, we sent a message — we sent a message to every corner of the Commonwealth; a message to our neighbors and our fellow Americans across the country; we sent a message to the whole world — that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our Commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most: lowering costs, keeping our communities safe, and strengthening our economy for every Virginian — leadership that will focus on problem solving, not stoking division. You chose leadership that will always put Virginia first. And Virginia, I cannot wait to get to work for you. Tonight, we turned a page. We turned that page by listening to our neighbors, focusing on practical results, laying out a clear agenda, and leading with decency and determination. To everyone who helped us achieve this win — from the bottom of my heart — I thank you for the trust you have placed in me and it is the honor of my lifetime to be elected the 75th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia! I would like to thank my opponent for a hard fought race. The Lieutenant Governor’s story, her military service, and her years of service to Virginia — deserve our respect. I ask you join me in wishing her and her family well. I also know that her supporters are disappointed today — and to those Virginians who did not vote for me — I want you to know that my goal and intent is to serve all Virginians and that means I will listen to you. I will work for and with you. That is the approach I’ve taken throughout my whole career. I have worked with anyone and everyone — regardless of political party — to deliver results for the people that I serve. That’s because I believe in this idea: that there is so much more that unites us as Virginians and as Americans than divides us. I know in my heart that we can unite for Virginia’s future and we can set an example for the rest of the nation. Our founders understood this from the very beginning. They didn’t choose to call Virginia a “Commonwealth” by accident. They chose it to signify that our government would be based on the power of the people united for a common good. Not for a political party. Not for a President. Not for a monarch. But for a common good. Together. And tonight, Virginia proved that tradition is alive and well. We are still a Commonwealth in every sense of the word. We are built on the things we share, not the things that pull us apart, and I’m proud that our campaign earned votes from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and everyone in-between. That’s the Virginia I know. That’s the Virginia I love. And that’s the Virginia I will have the honor of serving as your next Governor. I want to thank so many people for the support they’ve given to our campaign. Thank you for your work. Thank you to our tireless volunteers — to those who have believed in me — thank you for devoting your time your energy, your conviction to this campaign. Thank you for braving the heat, then the cold, then the rain, then the sun. Thank you. Thank you for talking to your neighbors about the importance of this race. Thank you for recognizing that when we went person to person engaging, we could bring people not just into supporting our campaign, but engaging in our democracy. We won this race because of you. To our campaign team — you are the best team in the country. Every single one of you worked tirelessly for the change, the progress, the policies, the connection, and the respect that you want to see in our communities. Thank you for working so hard. Thank you for giving people hope. Thank you for knocking doors in the sweltering heat. Thank you for showing kindness. Thank you for showing up in every corner of Virginia. Thank you for diving deep on policy. Thank you for capturing moments and the essence of our campaign. Thank you for reaching voters everywhere, and thank you for believing that Virginia could and would send a hopeful and joyful message. Thank you for giving everything, everything to this campaign — and then some. And thank you to my family. To my husband Adam — my partner in everything. I love you with my whole heart, and I am grateful for you and it is very strange to declare my love for you in front of millions of people. But every adventure we have ever been on as been with you by my side. I love you. I’m grateful for you. And I cannot wait to see what the next couple of years bring. To my daughters — Claire, Charlotte, and Catherine — you inspire and motivate me every single day. Everything I do, I do to build a better Virginia for you and for all of Virginia’s children. I’m so proud of you three every day, and I am lucky to be your mother — and Catherine, you did not clean your room today as you promised too. To my sisters — my dearest and earliest friends — I love you. I love you. I love you. To my friends who have traveled from around the world to be with me here today — thank you for making me who I am and thank you for always believing in me. And to my parents — I love you. Thank you for leading by example every day. I know that today is a day you all could have never imagined, but you taught me the importance of service to others and relentless hard work. Mom — when I think about your life — from the time spent in foster care to putting yourself through nursing school and the challenges along the way, you made clear that to whom much is given, much is expected. You have given me so much — born of your own struggles and your own challenges — and I know much is expected. Dad — thank you for your example of service and tireless devotion to family and country. Nothing has made me prouder than to follow in your footsteps so many steps along the way. I’ve talked a lot throughout this campaign about the importance of service and how it’s shaped my life and my approach to public office. That all came from my parents. But this commitment to service isn’t unique to my family — it’s engrained in so many Virginia families. It’s part of Virginia’s story. Here, in Virginia, this is where American democracy was born, and where we’re still working to perfect it today. Where James Madison built the framework for our Constitution to protect us from tyranny. Where Washington and Jefferson fought to establish a government of, by, and for the people. It’s also where Barbara Johns — a 16-year-old student from Farmville — led a walkout of students that would be part of the Brown v. Board of Education case to integrate public schools. Barbara Johns never gave up and she showed us that no matter your age you can be part of the change and progress that you want to see here in Virginia and across the nation. We were a nation founded on ideas — but we are a country where it is up to us — the citizens — who must put those ideas into action. It is us — the citizens who work to make change and progress — and built upon the foundation laid out over so many years. Now, Virginia, it is our time to lead. Tonight, it’s hard not to reflect on this nearly two-year journey we’ve taken together. And just a few minutes ago, Adam said to our daughters and said: “Your mom is going to be the Governor of Virginia.” I can guarantee those words have never been spoken in Virginia before. It is a big deal that the girls and young women I have met along the campaign trail now know with certainty that they can achieve anything. It is a big deal to the woman older than I am — who forged the path in dreams, hard work, and belief that change and progress would be possible so many of us could follow in your footsteps — in any career, any role, any challenge. The history Virginia is making tonight is yours — and I thank those who have come before me — and Mary Sue Terry in particular. She was the first woman elected statewide in Virginia, and because of her and the continued work of so many, there will be many more women to come for generations to come. So, now that the campaign is over — the real work begins. Because this was never just about winning an election. It was about what comes next. It is about the governing. Virginia voters made their choice tonight. And that choice was loud and clear: We’re going to lower the cost of renting, buying, or staying in your home. We are going to cut red tape and build homes families can actually afford. We’re going to lower healthcare costs. We are going to crack down on predatory pharmaceutical practices and surprise billing. We’re going produce more energy and we’re going to lower energy costs. We are going to produce more energy here in Virginia and make sure that data centers pay their fair share. We’re going to grow Virginia’s economy by investing in the apprenticeships and job training of the future. We are going to leverage AI and cutting-edge manufacturing to bring more capital investment into our Commonwealth. We’re going to take politics out of our schools. We are going to make sure that teachers are well paid and well respected, so that our students can focus on actually learning and so parents know that their child will succeed. And we’re going to make our communities safer, by providing the training, pay, and support that our law enforcement community needs and deserves. These aren’t slogans on a bumper sticker. They are actionable policies I’m ready to implement on day one. And starting now, that work begins. So as we begin this transition to a new administration, I want to be absolutely clear about a couple of things: First: Virginia is the only state in the South that hasn’t restricted women’s reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision. And under my watch, it will stay that way. In Virginia, healthcare decisions about contraception, fertility treatments, and reproductive care will continue to be made between women and their doctors — not by politicians. That’s a promise I’ve made, and it’s a promise I intend to keep. Second: I will always stand up for Virginia workers. Always. Right now, our federal workforce is under attack. And the chaos coming out of Washington is killing Virginia jobs and creating economic uncertainty for tens of thousands of families, government employees, government contractors, small business owners who are impacted by the chaos coming out of Washington. Virginia’s economy doesn’t work when Washington treats our workers, Virginia workers as expendable.To those who have been impacted by the mass layoffs, please know that I will direct the full power of the Governor’s Office to support you. And to those across the Potomac who are attacking our jobs and our economy: I will not stand by silently while you attack Virginia workers. I will fight every single day for every single Virginia job. The ones we have now and the ones we will have in the future. I will stand up to you — and to anyone who tries to harm our economy and the livelihoods of our Virginians. As Governor, my job is to put Virginia first. Full stop. And tonight, as the Governor-elect, I call on Congress — Republicans and Democrats — and our President to make real progress on bringing this shutdown to an end. The Virginians, the Americans who work tirelessly for their fellow citizens deserve nothing less. I know we’re living in a time filled with chaos. We live in a time marked by uncertainty. And along the way, we do our best to try to explain it to our kids. I know that the list of challenges we are facing is long. But I also know that the only way we’re going to solve these problems is by tackling them together. Democrats, Republicans, Independents — all of us. Because that embodies the message we sent tonight. That is what being a Commonwealth is all about: standing united for our future. That is what Virginia is about! Let’s show the world what we’re made of. Let’s get to work! Thank you all very much. |
