Democrats sweep in Virginia: 5 takeaways

Virginia Democrats saw wins across the board in the state’s off-year elections on Tuesday evening, sweeping races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. 

The environment on the ground proved to be beneficial for Democrats, who tapped into discontent over the economy and President Trump’s efforts to slash the size of the federal workforce. 

Republicans, on the other hand, were unable to repeat their wins under Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) from four years ago, even in the face of a scandal that appeared to hinder Democrats in the attorney general's race. 

Here are five takeaways from Virginia’s 2025 elections: 

Spanberger dominates 

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s (D-Va.) victory came as no surprise. Most polls showed her leading Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) by between 6 and 10 points. As of 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Spanberger led her rival 56.2 percent support to 43.8 percent. 

Throughout the campaign, Spanberger stayed focused on her message of affordability and defending the state’s large federal workforce from Trump administration cuts. Early exit polls indicated that both of these issues were top of mind for Virginia voters. According to ABC News exit polls, 6 in 10 Virginia voters said cuts to the federal workforce this year have impacted their family financially. Two in 10 voters said the cuts impacted their finances “a lot.”

Earle-Sears struggled to find an issue that stuck with voters, often finding herself on the defensive over the workforce cuts. The lieutenant governor attempted to take a page out of Youngkin’s 2021 playbook by focusing on cultural issues. Earle-Sears often labeled Spanberger as being for “they/them” and supporting policies that allow “men in girls’ locker rooms” and parents to be unaware when their children seek gender-affirming care. The strategy did not energize or sway enough voters to push her over the finish line.

Jones beats expectations amid scandal 

While the attorney general's race was always slated to be the narrower of the statewide races, Republicans saw a major opportunity when a late scandal hit Democratic nominee Jay Jones. 

Last month, text messages sent by Jones to a Republican delegate in 2022 surfaced in which Jones openly talked about shooting then-state House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R). Republicans, including Youngkin, Earle-Sears, incumbent state Attorney General Jason Miyares, President Trump and Vice President Vance, all called on Jones to drop his bid. Democrats, including Spanberger, were quick to condemn the remarks but stopped short of calling on him to exit the race. 

The issue quickly became a subject of Miyares’s campaign ads, with the Republican even using the scandal to court Spanberger voters. Jones, who apologized for the texts, stayed focused on tying Miyares to Trump. Jones and Virginia Democrats argued that another term for Miyares would mean one less layer of protection from the Trump administration. 

Polls in October were mixed, with most election forecasters rating the race as a toss-up. Some predicted the race could signal the first split ticket Virginia has seen in 20 years, but ultimately it appeared that Spanberger’s win and the general environment for Democrats were enough to save Jones. 

Trump attacks deliver for Democrats 

Virginia’s races were largely considered referendums on Trump’s second term in office, putting Republicans at a disadvantage. 

Spanberger and Jones repeatedly tied their opponents to Trump, banking that his unpopularity in the state would help them win. A recent Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey found 54 percent of Virginia voters disapproved of his job performance.

Republicans were also facing headwinds in a historical sense, given that a sitting president’s party tends to lose the Virginia governor's race during the president’s first term. Additionally, Virginia Democrats tend to overperform when Trump is in office. 

During Trump’s first administration in 2017, Democrats won the gubernatorial, lieutenant gubernatorial and state attorney general races. Democrats did not win a majority in the House of Delegates that year, but they narrowed the GOP majority to one seat. Then in 2019, Democrats won control of the House of Delegates and the state Senate, giving the party control of both legislative chambers and the governor’s mansion for the first time since 1994.

But Trump’s dismal numbers in the state, coupled with the administration’s actions to slash the federal workforce, made the environment even more fertile for Virginia Democrats. 

In his first reaction to Tuesday’s results, the president appeared to lay blame on his absence from the ballot and the government shutdown.

"'TRUMP WASN'T ON THE BALLOT , AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,' according to pollsters," the president wrote on Truth Social. 

Two Democrats make history 

Tuesday marked a history-making election in Virginia, with Spanberger set to become the first woman to serve as the state’s governor. The results in the governor’s race would have been historic no matter what, given Earle-Sears would have been both the first woman and the first Black woman to lead the state. 

History was also made in the lieutenant governor’s race, with Democrat Ghazala Hashmi becoming the first Indian to hold statewide office in the commonwealth and the first Muslim to woman to win a statewide race in the U.S. 

Like the governor’s race, the lieutenant governor’s race was already on track to be historic. Republican lieutenant gubernatorial candidate John Reid would have been the first openly gay Republican elected to statewide office. 

Hashmi’s historic win happened as Zohran Mamdani became the first Muslim to be elected mayor of New York City. Both Hashmi and Mamdani faced attacks over their religion throughout the campaign. 

Results reignite debate over future of Democratic Party 

While Democrats clearly had a successful night across the board, there are still questions about the direction of the party going into next year’s midterm elections. 

Centrist Democrats saw major wins with Spanberger and New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, both Democrats who have proven time and again their ability to win competitive races. Meanwhile, progressives saw a massive win with Mamdani in New York City, which also may have doubled as the nail in the coffin for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s political career. 

Republicans have voiced concerns about Spanberger and Sherrill’s overperformances. Meanwhile, they have been eager to tie Democrats to Mamdani. 

In a statement, the National Republican Campaign Committee said Democrats have “surrendered” to Mamdani “and the far-left mob who are now running the show.” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who is mulling a gubernatorial bid, argued in her own statement that Mamdani’s win shows that “the only way to save our great state and provide a check on this insanity is to elect a Republican Governor in 2026."

Democrats will need to decide whether their party’s tent is big enough for centrists and progressives, particularly in the face of conservative attacks on progressives.