Meet Abigail Spanberger: Virginia’s governor responds to Trump’s State of the Union

February 24, 2026

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, who recently became the state's first woman governor after winning by a significant margin, will deliver the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address. The former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman built her gubernatorial campaign around practical issues like education funding, teacher shortages, and cost of living rather than the cultural wedge issues her Republican opponent emphasized. Since taking office, she has moved quickly to reverse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and establish anti-discrimination protections through executive orders.

Who is affected

Governor Abigail Spanberger
President Donald Trump
Virginia residents and voters
Federal workers (members of the largest federal workers union who endorsed Spanberger)
Virginia teachers
Transgender students in Virginia public schools
State law enforcement officials
Sen. Alex Padilla of California
Former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears

What action is being taken

Spanberger is delivering the Democratic rebuttal to Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday
Sen. Alex Padilla is delivering a Democratic response in Spanish
Democratic counterprogramming is occurring before, during and after Trump's speech

Why it matters

Spanberger's selection to deliver the rebuttal is significant because she represents a successful Democratic model in a competitive state, having won Virginia's governorship by double digits while focusing on practical economic and education issues rather than cultural warfare. Her victory demonstrates that candidates with national security credentials who emphasize affordability, education, and worker protections can defeat Trump-aligned Republicans in swing states. The choice signals Democrats' strategy of elevating pragmatic governors who can appeal to moderate voters concerned about everyday issues like teacher shortages and cost of living.

What's next

Spanberger has pledged to raise the state minimum wage to $15 by 2028
Commissions to assess possible affordability measures have been initiated through executive order

Read full article from source: The 19th