Government | Politics 2023: ABIGAIL SPANBERGER

Redistricted into a new Congressional district that includes Fredericksburg, Caroline County and part of Prince William County, the moderate Democrat won her third term in November 2022 against GOP challenger Yesli Vega.

A former CIA officer and U.S. Postal Inspection Service law enforcement officer, Spanberger in 2018 narrowly defeated incumbent Dave Brat in a longtime Republican stronghold district that included Richmond’s suburbs.

She’s since toed a moderate line that appeals to her politically diverse constituents and has become a successful fundraiser. In December 2022, Spanberger became the New Democrat Coalition’s battleground leader, focusing on getting Democrats elected in competitive districts. 

In July, Politico reported that Spanberger told prominent state Democrats that she plans to launch a run for governor in 2025, although Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn are also rumored to be considering runs. Axios reported that Spanberger is the presumed favorite for the nomination among party insiders.

A graduate of the University of Virginia and an MBA program run by Purdue University and GISMA Business School in Germany, Spanberger serves on the House Agriculture and Foreign Affairs committees and is vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.