Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is facing a divided electorate just two months into her term, according to a new Washington Post–Schar School poll, which shows 47% of voters approve of her performance, 46% disapprove, and 7% remain undecided.
Spanberger, the state’s first female governor, won by a decisive 15 points in 2025, leaning heavily on a bipartisan brand she cultivated over three terms in a toss-up congressional district. But her early standing as a Democratic governor suggests a sharply split response from Virginians, underscoring deep political divisions.
Gregory Roddy, a 69-year-old Fairfax County resident who describes himself as an independent with conservative leanings, told the Washington Post he never fully bought into Spanberger’s bipartisan pitch. After she took office, she “switched over,” he said.
“Now, she’s just a bot for the Democratic Party,” Roddy added.
Spanberger’s approval rating trails the historical norm for Virginia governors in Washington Post polling by 13 points, and her nearly even split between support and opposition leaves her with a weaker net approval than past governors at similar points in their tenures. It also puts her behind where Glenn Youngkin, her Republican predecessor, stood near the end of his term, when he posted a 50% approval rating against 46% disapproval, despite having entered office after a much tighter race.
“Some amount of polarization is baked in, but this is unusual at this early stage of her administration and given that she had long cultivated a centrist image,” said Mark Rozell, dean of George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, which co-sponsored the poll.
The good news for Spanberger is that she continues to hold overwhelming support within her own party, with more than 80% of Democrats approving of her performance. But she has made little headway with Republicans, who are close to 90% opposed. Notably, the intensity gap cuts against her: Among Republicans, 78% strongly disapprove, compared with 62% of Democrats who strongly approve.
Among independents, the electorate is almost evenly divided — 45% approve, and 46% disapprove. That marks a sharp shift from last fall, when exit polls showed she captured 59% of independent voters.
In office, Spanberger has largely followed through on campaign promises centered on economic concerns, including expanding access to healthcare and boosting affordable housing. She has also worked with Democratic lawmakers in the General Assembly to tamp down discussions of tax hikes.
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But Rozell noted that her carefully cultivated centrist image has been tested by a series of decisions that have fueled criticism from the Right.
She has spoken out against Trump-era immigration enforcement efforts and moved to end controversial agreements between Virginia law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. She has also backed efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map in ways that could benefit Democrats in the November midterm elections.