The Spanberger strategy: Can this Virginia Democrat reset the politics of public education?

August 11, 2025

Abigail Spanberger, a Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, is focusing her campaign on strengthening public education, positioning herself against Republican strategies that emphasized culture war issues in schools. Unlike Republican Glenn Youngkin's successful 2021 campaign that centered on parental rights and opposition to pandemic policies in schools, Spanberger aims to address practical challenges like teacher shortages, school infrastructure, and pandemic learning recovery. As a mother with three children in public schools, Spanberger is highlighting her personal connection to education issues while competing against Republican Lt.

Who is affected

Virginia students in public schools, particularly those still recovering from pandemic learning losses
Teachers and educators facing shortages and what Spanberger describes as demoralization
Parents of school-aged children making decisions about their children's education
Transgender students who are at the center of policy debates regarding sports participation and facilities
Virginia voters, with education being the top issue for nearly 1 in 10 voters according to polling
Families struggling with the high cost of living (which Spanberger mentions alongside education)

What action is being taken

Spanberger is actively campaigning on strengthening public schools and launching a "Parents and Educators for Spanberger" coalition
Spanberger is highlighting her personal experience as a parent of public school students while campaigning
Earle-Sears is advocating for policies that would exclude transgender girls from girls' bathrooms, locker rooms, and sporting teams
The Trump administration is threatening to withdraw federal funding from Virginia districts that maintain inclusive policies for transgender students
Early voting in Virginia begins September 19 ahead of the November 4 general election

Why it matters

This race could result in Virginia electing its first woman governor
The outcome will serve as a referendum on President Trump's second term and test Democrats' path forward after recent electoral losses
The race provides a playbook for Democrats who have struggled to counter Republican messaging on education
Virginia's approach to education policy could influence national political strategies heading into the 2026 midterms
The contrasting education platforms highlight fundamental differences in how the parties address public schools, parental rights, school choice, and transgender student inclusion
Virginia is currently lagging in pandemic learning recovery, ranking 41st in reading recovery and 51st in math recovery between 2019 and 2024

What's next

Early voting in Virginia starts September 19
The general election will be held on November 4
If elected, Spanberger plans to lobby state lawmakers for funding to fix old and dilapidated schools
Spanberger has promised to address teacher shortages through recruitment, mentorship, and pay raises
If elected, Earle-Sears would sign legislation forcing districts to create private spaces and sporting teams according to students' sex at birth if they don't do so willingly

Read full article from source: The 19th