Former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, will compete against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) for Virginia governor in the Nov. 4 election.
The onetime lawmaker outraised her opponent by more than $3 million in April despite accusations from the lieutenant governor that her alleged knowledge of former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline is a “national security issue.”
Here’s all you need to know about the Democratic Virginia gubernatorial hopeful.
Age
Spanberger, 45, was born on Aug. 7, 1979.
Hometown
Born in Red Bank, New Jersey, Spanberger eventually moved to Henrico County, Virginia, where she graduated from J.R. Tucker High School.
Education
Spanberger received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from a dual program at Purdue University and GISMA Business School in Germany.
Family and religion
Spanberger is married to her husband, Adam, also from Virginia, and they have three daughters. They are a Protestant family, according to Pew Research.
Occupations
Spanberger worked on narcotics and money laundering cases as a federal law enforcement officer in the Postal Inspection Service and then at the CIA as a case officer. She then became the first woman to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District in the House and the first Democrat to do so in 50 years.
Major policy positions
Spanberger was a leader of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which tightened background check loopholes on guns and encouraged red flag laws at the state level.
Spanberger voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, saying she wants to boost the workforce in Virginia, specifically community colleges and historically black colleges and universities, calling them “chronically underfunded” on her website.
VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S RACE CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM AND CONCERN IN BOTH PARTIES
Spanberger helped repeal the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset, two facets of Social Security she deems misguided, during the Biden administration. She said these two provisions reduced the benefits of Virginia public servants and their grieving spouses too much.
Spanberger ran for Congress in 2018 after President Donald Trump won his first election. She has been endorsed by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).