Virginia's upcoming gubernatorial race will feature former Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov.
Who is affected
Virginia voters and residents
Women in Virginia politics (with potential for first woman governor and possibly all-women Democratic statewide ticket)
Federal workers in Virginia (from Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads)
People with felony convictions (regarding voting rights restoration)
LGBTQ+ Virginians (regarding marriage equality amendment and transgender policies)
Women seeking reproductive healthcare (regarding abortion rights amendment)
What action is being taken
Virginia is holding primary elections on Tuesday to finalize the November ballot
Spanberger is campaigning on affordability issues and preparing Virginia for a "second Trump administration"
Earle-Sears is running on cutting taxes, reducing government spending, and implementing conservative social policies
Democrats are competing in primaries for lieutenant governor and attorney general positions
John Reid, the Republican lieutenant governor candidate, is fighting attempts to remove him from the ballot over allegations he denies
Why it matters
The election will result in Virginia's first woman governor (and potentially the nation's first Black woman governor if Earle-Sears wins)
It represents the first statewide elections since Trump returned to the White House
The outcome will determine control of state government and the state's lower chamber
The election could decide the fate of three constitutional amendments regarding abortion rights, marriage equality, and voting rights restoration for former felons
Virginia remains the last Southern state without abortion restrictions since Roe v. Wade was overturned
What's next
Voters will head to the polls in November to elect a new governor and other officials
The results will shape the Democratic Party's stance heading into the 2026 midterms
If approved by legislators after the election, constitutional amendments could appear on the 2026 ballot
