Democrat Abigail Spanberger used her inauguration as Virginias first female governor to launch a pointed critique of President Trumps administration and its policies.
According to Fox News, Spanberger, who decisively defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in November and succeeds Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, framed her swearing-in at the State Capitol as a response to what she portrayed as national dysfunction. Addressing supporters, she declared, "I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington."
She expanded that theme by asserting, "You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs. You are worried about Washington policies that are closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry, and attacking those who have devoted their lives to public service," casting federal leadership as a direct threat to local prosperity. In doing so, Spanberger echoed familiar Democratic talking points that blame Washington rather than acknowledging the role of heavy-handed regulation and progressive spending in driving up costs.
Her rhetoric escalated as she charged, "You are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking, breaking, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities, betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values that we celebrate here on these steps." By painting a picture of opulence in Washington contrasted with decay at home, she sought to position her governorship as a moral counterweight to President Trumps agenda.
Turning to economic anxiety, Spanberger lamented, "And across the Commonwealth, everything keeps getting a bit more expensive. Groceries, medicine, day care, the electricity bill, rent and the mortgage. Families are strained, kids are stressed, and so much just seems to be getting harder and harder," yet she offered little acknowledgment that inflation and higher living costs have been exacerbated by expansive federal spending and regulatory burdens championed by her own party. She instead cast herself as a corrective force, distancing Richmond from the very Washington policies Democrats have advanced.
Invoking her upbringing, Spanberger said, "Growing up, my parents always taught me that when faced with something unacceptable, you must speak up." She continued, "You must take action. You must right what you believe is wrong and fix what isn't working. And I know that some who are here today, or watching from home, may disagree with the litany of challenges and the hardships that I laid out," before adding, "Your perspective may differ from mine, but that does not preclude us from working together where we may find common cause."
Spanberger also underscored the symbolic nature of her election, stating, "The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me. I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots," a nod to identity politics that often overshadows substantive policy debate.
Login