Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger has released her first TV commercial for the 2025 Virginia governor’s race, emphasizing her bipartisan experience and commitment to addressing key state issues as she ramps up her campaign in one of this year’s most closely watched elections, as per NBC News.
In the 60-second ad, Spanberger says:
“Too many politicians talk when they should listen and divide instead of unite. Enough is enough.”
She highlights her background in the CIA and her time in Congress, underscoring her work across party lines.
Virginia is holding one of just two gubernatorial elections this year, alongside New Jersey, and both are seen as early indicators of the political landscape heading into the 2026 midterms. Spanberger will face Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, with neither party facing contested primaries.
Spanberger’s ad will air in the Richmond and Norfolk markets, with her campaign spending $141,000 on the initial buy, bringing total ad spending to $643,000, according to AdImpact.
The commercial pledges to lower costs for Virginians, allow people to keep more of their money, and make Virginia schools “the best in the nation.” Spanberger also notes she is a mother of three daughters who attend public schools. The ad briefly references local news reports of a surge in unemployment claims in Virginia following federal government job cuts during the Trump administration—a potential campaign issue given the state’s large federal workforce.
Her opponent, Earle-Sears, has already been active on TV, spending $873,000 on two ads highlighting her Marine Corps service and work with current GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is term-limited and cannot run again.
While Democrats have performed well recently in Virginia at the federal level, the governor’s race is expected to be competitive. President Trump lost Virginia by six points in 2024—a closer margin than in 2020—and Youngkin won his first term in 2021 by just two points.
