BY ROSEMARY
Under a cold drizzle at the state Capitol on Saturday, Democrat Abigail Spanberger took the oath of office as Virginia’s governor, becoming the first woman in the commonwealth’s nearly 250-year history to hold the position and signaling a decisive shift in the state’s political direction.
Spanberger, who defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in last year’s election, succeeds Gov. Glenn Youngkin and assumes office at a moment of divided power nationally, with Republican President Donald Trump in the White House just miles away in Washington. Her inauguration marked a new era in Richmond, where Democrats now control the levers of state government and have pledged an assertive agenda in response to policies coming out of the nation’s capital.
“The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me,” Spanberger said in her inaugural address. “I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who worked, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today.”
Spanberger built her campaign around a promise to shield Virginia’s economy and institutions from what she described as the aggressive and destabilizing tactics of the Trump administration. On the campaign trail, she warned of the effects of cuts to the civil service, rising consumer costs and federal policy changes that could further strain Virginia’s already fragile health care system.
Without naming the president directly, Spanberger used her address to signal a clear contrast with Washington, saying Virginians were ready to repair what she described as broken leadership.
“I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington,” she told the crowd gathered on the Capitol steps. “You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs.”
Spanberger was sworn in alongside two other history-making Democrats. Ghazala F. Hashmi took office as lieutenant governor, becoming the first Muslim woman to serve in statewide office anywhere in the United States. Hashmi placed her hand on a Quran as she was sworn in. Jay Jones was inaugurated as Virginia’s attorney general, becoming the first Black person to hold that office. His swearing-in carried added symbolism, taking place in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy.
After the ceremony, Hashmi and Jones stood behind Spanberger as she signed her first 10 executive orders. Among them was an order rescinding a directive issued last year by Youngkin that instructed state law enforcement and corrections officers to assist with federal immigration enforcement.
“Local law enforcement should not be required to divert their limited resources to enforce federal civil immigration laws,” Spanberger said, framing the move as a matter of public safety and local control.
Spanberger now becomes Virginia’s 75th governor, but the first woman ever to serve in the role. Since Virginia became a commonwealth in 1776, every governor had been male, and no woman served as a colonial governor before independence. Going forward, she will be formally addressed as “Madam Governor,” or, in traditional protocol, “her excellency.”
In keeping with Virginia’s long-standing ceremonial customs, members of the official party wore morning coats and dark suits, a tradition outlined in the state’s guide to protocol. Spanberger, however, chose to depart from convention. Dressed entirely in white, she appeared to offer a nod to the women’s suffrage movement. Pinned to her long white coat was a gold emblem reading, “One country. One destiny.”
The ceremony drew prominent Democratic leaders from around the country, underscoring the national significance of Spanberger’s victory. Among those in attendance were New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Adam Schiff. Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who turned 95 on Saturday, sat behind Spanberger as she took the oath.
Spanberger referenced Wilder’s legacy in her remarks, noting the historic continuity of the moment.
“On these steps, Virginia inaugurated our 66th governor and our nation’s first elected African American governor,” she said. “Gov. L. Douglas Wilder changed what so many of our fellow citizens believed was even possible.”
Democrats who control the state legislature have pledged to work closely with Spanberger to advance an ambitious agenda. Among their priorities is redrawing Virginia’s congressional district map ahead of this year’s midterm elections, a move expected to carry national implications.
The party enters the new administration buoyed by recent gains at the state level. Democrats picked up 13 seats in the House of Delegates, a rebound that followed the party’s significant losses nationwide in the 2024 presidential election.
As Spanberger begins her term, allies say her challenge will be to translate the symbolism of Saturday’s milestone into durable policy wins, while navigating an increasingly tense relationship between Richmond and Washington. For many Virginians watching from the rain-soaked Capitol grounds, the day represented not just a change in leadership, but a redefinition of who can hold power in the commonwealth.
Original article
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