What party is the current Governor of Virginia and when was he/she elected?

1. Who won and which party do they represent — the short answer

Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and former U.S. representative, won Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial race; news organizations and election projects reported her as the Democratic victor on Nov. 4, 2025 ^{[1] [3]}. Multiple outlets describe her as the Democratic nominee who defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle‑Sears ^{[1] [3]}.

2. When was she elected — the basics of timing

Spanberger won the general election held November 4, 2025, according to national coverage and state election trackers; she is slated to take office in January 2026 under Virginia’s inauguration schedule ^{[1] [5]}. Reporting notes the Associated Press and other outlets called the race for her on Election Day ^{[6] [3]}.

3. Context: what this result means for party control in Richmond

Spanberger’s victory flips the governor’s office from Republican Glenn Youngkin (elected in 2021) to Democratic control and, according to Ballotpedia and other reporting, contributes to Democrats holding statewide offices in 2025 — reports note Democrats gained or defended multiple statewide posts that night, affecting the balance of state government ^{[2] [7]}. PBS and AP coverage frame the win as part of Democrats’ broader success in that cycle ^{[3] [4]}.

4. Why this race drew national attention

Virginia’s gubernatorial election is always the year after a presidential vote and is watched as a midterm-style referendum; outlets noted it as a barometer for national politics and for reactions to President Trump’s policies in 2025 ^{[8] [2]}. Reporters emphasized that Spanberger’s campaign focused on economic messages and pragmatic appeals rather than elevated national culture-war themes, a strategy highlighted in national previews and on-the-ground coverage ^{[3] [5]}.

5. Competing narratives and what sources disagree on or emphasize

Mainstream outlets uniformly report Spanberger as the Democratic winner ^{[1] [3] [4]}. Differences among sources are about emphasis: some outlets stress the margin and historical notes — Wikipedia and election trackers called it a large, historic margin and the state’s first female governor, while others frame the race as a test of national politics and turnout ^{[5] [1] [9]}. Available sources do not mention any credible challenges to the outcome in the cited reporting; they focus on results and implications (not found in current reporting).

6. Mechanics and notable rules that shaped the race

Virginia’s constitution bars governors from serving consecutive terms, making Glenn Youngkin ineligible to run in 2025 — a fact repeatedly cited as shaping the open-seat dynamic and the competitive nature of the contest ^{[2] [10]}. That single-term rule means turnovers are common and the state’s gubernatorial races are often analyzed as a snapshot of voter sentiment the year after a presidential election ^[2].

7. Limitations, uncertainties and where reporting is thin

The supplied sources comprehensively report the winner and date but do not provide the formal oath or exact swearing-in record in these snippets; Wikipedia notes she “is scheduled to be sworn in” in January 2026 but the exact inauguration details beyond that schedule are not in every item ^[5]. If you need the certified vote totals, the official Virginia Department of Elections canvass or AP final tallies would be the primary sources; those specific official canvass numbers are not provided in the current snippets (available sources do not mention the official canvass totals).

8. Bottom line for readers

Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, won Virginia’s governor’s race on November 4, 2025, flipping the office from Republican control and joining other Democratic victories reported that night ^{[1] [3] [9]}. For the certified vote counts and the exact inauguration moment, consult official state canvass publications or the final AP election report noted by the outlets cited here ^{[4] [1]}.