Democrat Abigail Spanberger, of Henrico, wins Virginia governor’s race
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The Associated Press called the Virginia governor’s race in Democrat Abigail Spanberger’s favor, an explosive finish in one of the most closely-watched elections in the country this year.
Spanberger clenched a victory over Republican opponent Winsome Earle-Sears, earning 56.6% of the vote compared to Earle-Sears’ 43.6%.
“It’s a big deal that the girls and the young women I have met along the campaign trail now know with certainty that they can achieve anything,” Spanberger said in her victory speech as she reflected on making history as Virginia’s first woman governor. She name-dropped historic women trailblazers like Farmville’s Barbara Johns, whose advocacy helped spur the Brown v. Board of Education case that desegregated schools and Mary Sue Terry, a former Virginia Attorney General and the first woman elected to statewide office in Virginia.
She returned to her campaign promises to address the housing, health care and energy affordability.
“The real work begins,” Spanberger said. “Because this was never about just winning an election. It was about what comes next. It’s about the governing.”
In between cheers from the crowd gathered at her victory celebration in downtown Richmond, Spanberger nodded to Earle-Sears’ efforts.
“I would like to thank my opponent for a hard fought race,” Spanberger said. “The lieutenant governor’s story — her military service and her years of service here in Virginia deserves our respect and gratitude.
The Democrat also used her first speech as Virginia‘s incoming governor to call on all members of Congress from both parties and President Donald Trump to work together to end the federal government shutdown that has stretched for over a month, resulting in thousands of furloughed federal workers and delays for millions of Americans that rely on federal assistance to purchase food.
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