By Sam Barron | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 07:54 PM EST
Democrat Abigail Spanberger secured victory in the Virginia gubernatorial race, according to Decision Desk HQ. She defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, while Democrat Ghazala Hashmi won the lieutenant governor’s race, overcoming Republican John Reid, per Decision Desk HQ projections.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is term-limited, was ineligible for reelection. Virginia’s constitutional rules prohibit governors from serving two consecutive terms.
Spanberger, a former congresswoman, entered the race as a strong favorite, aligning with historical trends where the winner of Virginia’s gubernatorial election often contrasts with the party that won the White House the prior year. Polls consistently showed her leading by double digits before Election Day.
The state’s 140,000 federal employees, many affected by Trump-era layoffs and recent government shutdowns, remained a key demographic in the contest. Spanberger, a moderate Democrat with a national security background, positioned herself as an opponent of Trump’s policies, aiming to rally voters against his agenda.
Democratic campaign efforts outspent Republican counterparts, with Spanberger and her allies investing $50 million in advertising—double the $25 million allocated by Earle-Sears and GOP-aligned groups, according to an ad-tracking firm. Despite Trump’s involvement in a tele-rally with Earle-Sears, he did not formally endorse her campaign.
Earlier this month, Trump expressed lukewarm support for Earle-Sears, stating the “Republican candidate is very good, and she should win because the Democrat candidate is a disaster.” However, during a Virginia event last month, Trump omitted any mention of Earle-Sears despite praising other Virginia Republicans with military ties.
Reid’s campaign aimed to make history as the first openly gay Republican elected to statewide office in U.S. history. His bid faced scrutiny after Youngkin reportedly urged him to step down following revelations of sexually explicit online posts attributed to Reid.
