Virginia's trailblazing candidates for governor prepare to battle over the economy, abortion and Trump

Tuesday is primary day in Virginia — but the general election matchup for the commonwealth’s highest office is already set

Tuesday is primary day in Virginia — but the general election matchup for the commonwealth’s highest office is already set.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. representative, and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor, have known for months that they would face off against each other in the race to succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, since they were the only major-party candidates to qualify for the ballot.

One of them is guaranteed to make history by being elected Virginia's first female governor. And they’ve already been running general election-focused campaigns for months, providing an early jump-start to one of just two governor’s races this year (the other is in New Jersey). Those elections will be early indicators of how voters are responding to President Donald Trump — and where the political winds are blowing ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Already, clear dividing lines have emerged from both campaigns, providing a map of how each candidate might carve out a path to winning Virginia's top political job and navigating the politics of Trump's second term.

Spanberger has focused heavily on economic and affordability issues, as well as her support for reproductive rights in a state that abortion-rights groups highlight as a rare spot in the South where abortion care remains widely accessible until viability. Spanberger’s campaign and allied groups have also, more broadly, attacked Earle-Sears over her conservative record on additional social issues, like contraception and marriage quality.