Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced Monday morning that she will run for governor in 2025 and will not seek reelection to her 7th District congressional seat.
Spanberger's move, widely expected since reports surfaced this summer about her interest in running for governor, throws open the 7th District seat, which will be highly competitive again in next fall's elections.
“Virginia is where I grew up, where I am raising my own family, and where I intend to build a stronger future for the next generation of Virginians," Spanberger said in her announcement. "I have always believed in the value of public service. I look forward to serving the 7th District through the end of this term and then pursuing the important work of bringing Virginia together to keep our commonwealth strong.”
After being elected to two terms from the 7th District when it was based in the Richmond suburbs, Spanberger won reelection in 2022 after the district was moved to Northern and Piedmont Virginia. Members of the House of Representatives do not have to live in the districts they represent.
Before Congress, Spanberger served as a federal law enforcement officer and as a CIA case officer. She and her husband, Adam, are parents of three school-aged daughters.
Spanberger's major challenger for the 2025 Democratic nomination for governor is likely to be Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. On the Republican side, possible candidates include Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and Attorney Gen. Jason Miyares.
Spanberger's announcement will probably create a free-for-all among prominent Democrats -- especially in Prince William County -- seeking the nomination to replace her in the district, which was created after the 2020 Census. Among candidates likely to be interested are state Sen. Jeremy McPike, state Sen.-elect Jennifer Carroll Foy, former Dels. Elizabeth Guzman and Hala Ayala and Prince William School Board Chair Babur Lateef, according to the Blue Virginia blog.
In a statement Monday afternoon, Guzman indicated she plans to run for the seat and will be forming a committee to begin raising money and assembling a campaign organization. "While I look forward to releasing a formal announcement soon, for now I want Democrats in the 7th District to know that I've heard them and I will be working hard to ensure we have a nominee that can win this seat next year and continue effectively representing our community in Congress."
Several Republicans have already announced campaigns for the 7th District seat, including former Special Forces soldier Derrick Anderson, Navy SEAL combat veteran Cameron Hamilton, former Marine Corps officer Jon Meyers and entrepreneur Bill Moher. Prince William Supervisor Yesli Vega, who won reelection to her Coles District seat Tuesday, could also mount another challenge. Vega lost to Spanberger by about 13,000 votes, or just under 5 percentage points, in 2022.
The district consists of eastern Prince William, the city of Fredericksburg and all of King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, Culpeper, Orange, Greene and Madison counties, plus a handful of voters in Albemarle County. Prince William makes up the largest portion of the district, casting 79,000 of the 273,000 votes in the district in 2022 and is also the district's most Democratic area.
In a video accompanying her announcement, Spanberger focused on her efforts in Congress to support veterans and small businesses and to help communities fighting addiction.
"I have found ways to bring people together and focus on what really matters," she said. "While some politicians in Richmond focus on banning abortion and books, what they’re not doing is helping people. I know how to bring people together and get real things done that improve lives."
Related: InsideNoVa Newsmaker Town Hall with Spanberger (Jan. 19, 2023)
U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, speaks with InsideNoVa editors and reporters during a virtual town hall on Jan. 19, 2023.
(9) comments
cia spook and government leech. votes with biden 100% of the time. Virginians can't afford more inflation and crime due to terrible democrat policies.
She has been really bad for Virginia. I would certainly not support her.
Great! All we need is another CIA plant to spy on American citizens. They've infiltrated our media, our communities and Congress needs to defund this corrupt organization b/c they no longer represent the best of America.
Spanberger is just another worthless politician only seeking power and not to make a difference in lives other than her own.
That's the FBI my dude. CIA generally focuses on foreign entities outside of the Continental United States.
A neat trick I learned was how to fold a newspaper into a bludgeoning object. But what do I know... I'm just an idiot who baits people online to get them put on a list.
With a democratic state legislature behind her, she will get a lot done.
Virginia will move forward and will continue to prosper, unlike some of our conservative neighbor states.
Employers will continue to want to set up and grow operations here.
We will continue to have highly rated and well funded schools which will turn out a large number of college bound and mobile future employees for knowledge based fields.
We will continue to be the Home of the Cloud which is more important to the global economy today than oil.
Spanberger will show Youngkin was a fluke, not a new trend.
Spanberger will keep Virginia BLUE.
You really need to put the crack pipe down. Democrat utopia exists only in one country...China. That's what Dems are all about.
You mean she'll just put in motion more Democratic Progressive policies that Virginians don't want, including Data Centers next to their retirement homes.
Virginians just voted for Democratic Progressive policies.
Spanberger has a history of winning in tough districts. It is her election to lose.
No women voted for abortion and put them back in office because the party didn't properly respond to the abortion threat. Democrats had nothing else to say or talk about, nothing. Truly unbelievable that people are that stupid.
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