Spanberger launches campaign for Virginia governor

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) launched her bid for Virginia governor Monday, announcing she will not seek reelection to the U.S. House next year.

Making the announcement in a campaign video titled “What Matters Most,” the Virginia representative said she knows “how to bring people together” at a time when the nation is at “a crossroads.”

“Our country and our commonwealth are facing fundamental threats to our rights, our freedoms, and to our democracy. While some politicians in Richmond focus on banning abortion and books, what they’re not doing is helping people,” Spanberger said in the video.

Spanberger, 44, is serving her third term in the House after being first elected in 2018 to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. She narrowly won her three races in the district.

In the wake of her announcement, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted the forecast for Virginia’s 7^th Congressional District from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat,” with a rating of D+1.

Spanberger’s announcement comes less than a week after Virginia Democrats won control of both of the state’s Legislature bodies, serving a major blow to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was pushing for a GOP sweep to bolster his conservative agenda.

Youngkin cannot run for a consecutive term in 2024 under the commonwealth’s constitution. He has been seen to be a possible long-shot White House contender in 2024, though last week’s results make that even less likely.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) is expected to announce his campaign for governor soon, while state Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears could be likely Republican contenders, The Associated Press reported.

Spanberger previously served as a federal agent with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigating money laundering and narcotics cases, and then worked as a CIA case officer.

Updated at 12:52 p.m. ET