Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

On Tuesday, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won Virginia’s gubernatorial election over the state’s current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R), according to projections.

The Associated Press called the race at 7:00 p.m. EST. As of 7:45 p.m. EST, Spanberger had 1,256,296 votes, or 55.5%, with 66% of precincts reporting. Earle-Sears received 1,004,683 votes, or 44.1%.

Spanberger will be sworn in on Jan. 17, 2026, when she will replace Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R). Due to the one-term limit in Virginia, Youngkin was ineligible to run for reelection.

Spanberger served Virginia’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019—25. The 46-year-old also worked for the Central Intelligence Agency from 2006—14. Spanberger’s campaign focused on the affordability crisis, lowering costs and improving Virginia’s public education system.

Earle-Sears’ failed campaign

During her political career, Earle-Sears has espoused anti-gay, anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-reproductive freedom stances. In September, Earle-Sears’ running mate John Reid said that he disagreed with her stance on being “100% against” gay marriage. Reid himself is openly gay.

During a debate on Oct. 9, Spanberger attacked Earle-Sears’ position that employers should be able to fire workers for being gay, which Earle-Sears said “is not discrimination.”

Earle-Sears has also publicly denounced an effort to codify reproductive rights into the Virginia Constitution, which Spanberger has endorsed.

Earle-Sears ran unopposed in the Republican primary, but she failed to garner an endorsement from President Donald Trump for the general election. After serving as the national chairwoman of Black Americans to Reelect Trump in 2020, Earle-Sears bashed Trump in a 2022 interview with Fox News.

“A true leader understands when they have become a liability,” she said.