This is the first installment in a series examining this year’s historic gubernatorial race between Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.
Since Patrick Henry took office in 1776, Virginia has had 74 governors — all of them men. Now, the Republican nominee, Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, and the Democratic nominee, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, are both aiming to become the 75th, and the first woman elected to the role.
Only once before has a woman even made it to the general election: Democrat Mary Sue Terry, who lost to George Allen in 1993 after securing her party’s nomination.
While the historic nature of their bids is not lost on them, Spanberger and Sears are focused on talking about issues that impact voters.
“I’m running for Governor because I want to serve my fellow Virginians and focus on the issues that are top of mind for so many — the strength of our public schools, the cost of housing and healthcare, the safety of our communities, and the impacts of federal firings and trade wars on Virginians and our economy,” Spanberger said in a statement to Virginia Scope.
“I do know that electing our first woman Governor will be a source of pride and happiness for many people — and my goal is to serve the Commonwealth well and ensure I’m one of many qualified, hardworking women who eventually hold this or other offices serving Virginians,” Spanberger continued.
Sears, who would be the first Black female governor in the United States, recognizes the importance of potentially making history but says the job is about much more than that.
“Of course, becoming the first woman elected as governor of Virginia would be a profound honor and a significant milestone in our Commonwealth’s history, but leadership is about actions and results, not just making history,” Sears said in a statement to Virginia Scope.
“The people want to know ‘Do you see me? Do you know me? Do you understand what I’m going through?’ Because in America we elect our leaders from among us, not from above us,” Sears continued. “My commitment is to ensure that every Virginian has the opportunity to thrive, and I hope my journey inspires others to pursue their aspirations, regardless of the obstacles they may face.”
Their histories
Candidates often lean on their personal stories to connect with voters — and Sears and Spanberger are no exception. Their paths to this moment are vastly different, but each has the potential to resonate in a race that will make history.
“Politics, and especially a campaign, is all about storytelling,” said Richard Meagher, a political science professor at Randolph Macon College. “The whole point of a campaign is to try to tell a good story about your candidate — who they are and why they are the best choice for this job. If you can’t do that, or, even worse, if you let your opponent do it for you, you’re probably going to lose.”
Sears won the race to become Virginia’s lieutenant governor in 2021. Instead of seeking reelection, she launched her gubernatorial campaign last year to replace Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is term-limited.
Her past experience includes serving in the Marines, being the director of a homeless shelter, selling used cars, working as a program manager for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, serving as the CEO of the Blue Ridge Association of Realtors and owning an appliance repair shop that also offered plumbing and electric services.
“I have learned that the leader eats last,” Sears said when asked what her past job experience has taught her. “Leaders ensure that the people, for whom they are responsible, have whatever they need to succeed.”
Sears says that she understands the challenges families and businesses face because of her experience.
“Those experiences have only strengthened my resolve to fight for commonsense policies that create opportunity, keep our communities safe, and ensure Virginians have someone looking out for them,” she said.
Sears also served one term in the House of Delegates from 2002 until 2004 and ran for Congress against Rep. Bobby Scott, D-VA03, in 2004. She lost to Scott by 39 points.
In 2011, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell appointed her to serve on the State Board of Education, which Sears says helped mold her beliefs now.
“I saw firsthand how bureaucratic red tape and one-size-fits-all policies fail our students, parents, and teachers,” Sears said. “That experience reinforced my belief that education must be centered on excellence, accountability, and parental involvement.”
In 2017, Sears ran a write-in campaign against United States Senator Tim Kaine (D), contrasting the Republican nominee, Corey Stewart, who had ties to white supremacists. Kaine won that race easily.
Spanberger was elected to Congress in 2018 after she defeated the two-term Republican incumbent Dave Brat. She chose not to seek reelection last year in order to run for governor.
Before her time in office, she served in the Central Intelligence Agency as an operations officer. She left the agency in 2014 and went to work for the consulting firm Royall & Company, which is now known as EAB.
Spanberger told Virginia Scope that for much of her professional life, the Hatch Act — a federal law that restricts political activity by government employees — kept her on the sidelines politically. When she left the CIA and returned to Virginia, she said, entering politics wasn’t originally part of the plan. She wanted to volunteer on issues that she cared about as a mother, however, so she started a Girl Scout troop and joined Moms Demand Action, a group that advocates for legislation to combat gun violence.
“I wanted to volunteer with Moms Demand Action because as a mother, I wanted to do all I could to address the threat of gun violence — the number one killer of kids in America — and keep our kids safe,” Spanberger said. “I hoped my perspective as someone who had been around guns my whole life would be valuable to my advocacy for commonsense gun violence prevention policies.”
Spanberger says that Moms Demand Action introduced her to the political process, which eventually inspired her to run for office.
“I was inspired by the tenacity and resolve of those who had worked year after year to make Virginia safer,” Spanberger said. “Building on that work, I started supporting local candidates who were committed to the same goal of protecting our kids from gun violence. When I later decided to run for office myself, my fellow Moms Demand Action volunteers were among my biggest supporters, and I’m grateful that they’ve continued to work with me and my campaigns over the years.”
Analysis
Spanberger’s history is more straightforward on the trail, even if some of it is classified.
“Spanberger’s background helps her to tell a clear story: she’s CIA-turned-Congresswoman, a sober and serious decision-maker who’s made the tough calls,” Meagher said. “While that makes her vulnerable on her left, I think many Democrats see her as much more resistant to Republican attacks. She’s not a ‘tax-and-spend liberal’ or some weak-kneed outsider.”
According to Meagher, Sears, with a diverse professional history, could face more of a challenge in defining her experience for the electorate.
“Sears’ background is equally impressive but a little muddier,” he said. “She’s done a lot of various things over the years. This makes her an interesting person but a little harder to define. That won’t hurt her much in a primary, but the lack of a clear story may make it harder to appeal to a wide electorate.”
Part two of this series, which looks at where both nominees stand on the issues, can be viewed here.