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Over two and a half centuries, Virginia has been led by 74 state executives, all of them men. On Tuesday, Abigail Spanberger broke this longstanding tradition by being elected as the first female governor in Virginia's history.

Emphasizing Cost-of-Living Issues and Strategic Criticism

The former US congresswoman and Central Intelligence Agency operative triumphed with a campaign that stressed everyday expenses and strategically targeted Donald Trump's policies as opposed to the individual.

Early Life and Education

Born in the Garden State on August 7, 1979, she relocated to a Virginia community at her early teens. Her father was an army veteran who subsequently pursued a career in law enforcement; her mother was a healthcare professional and volunteer.

She attended the Virginia's flagship university, earning a diploma in literary arts. Upon completing her studies, she had a short stint as a substitute teacher before turning to a career in public service.

“I was raised knowing that I wanted to emulate my father and I did,” Spanberger shared with followers at a rally in coastal Virginia recently.

Public Service Career

At the federal agency, she worked cases involving drugs, child predators and money launderers. She served search and arrest warrants, frequently being the sole female on the arrest team. She then entered the CIA and focused on national security, serving undercover and internationally.

Personal Crossroads

In 2014, she and her husband Adam, an engineer, reached a career crossroads. Living on the west coast, they were contemplating another foreign posting. They took out a globe and asked their oldest child, then in kindergarten, where they should go. Virginia, she answered, because “everyone we love lives in Virginia”.

Spanberger shared at her rally: “And so we opted to transition from a federal career, to service to community because she was correct. All our relatives lives in Virginia.”

Congressional Run

Back in the commonwealth, she volunteered with a grassroots group, which combats gun violence, and started a Girl Scout troop. In 2017, she resolved to seek office, which others told her was a “impossible task” because the party hadn't had won the seventh district in decades.

“But I observed what the president was implementing with his actions and how he was creating conflict. And I noticed my member of Congress consistently work against the healthcare law. And I felt I had to take action. So spoiler: I was victorious.”

Bipartisan Reputation

In the capital, she quickly became linked to the moderate Democrats, a alliance of centrist and budget-conscious lawmakers. She prioritized less visible matters: expanding internet access to rural areas, fighting drug trafficking and veterans’ services.

She quickly established a reputation for collaborating with colleagues across the aisle and was consistently rated as the most bipartisan representative of the state's congressmembers. She was outspoken about political rhetoric that she felt alienated independents, cautioning her party against ideological slogans that could be weaponised in contested districts.

Political Alliance

Along with Representatives Elissa Slotkin and Mikie Sherrill, she was called a part of the “mod squad” in contrast to the progressive “group” of AOC.

State Leadership Bid

In that autumn, she declared she would step down for a another term and would instead run for governor in the next election.

Her campaign focused on ideas of public service, support for education and infrastructure and protection of governing systems. Her intelligence experience lent her authority on national security issues and she spoke of government work as a vocation rather than a job.

Successful Campaign

This enabled her to overcome rival candidate her challenger's criticisms on social topics, including the claim that Spanberger is an extremist on individual freedoms and transgender healthcare.

Spanberger, who maintained that individual districts should decide whether trans youth can participate in competitive sports, cast her opponent as the contender more misaligned with the center of the Virginia electorate.