RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) sharpened her policy and political profiles Monday in a speech to the General Assembly that renewed her calls for unity but drew the clearest lines yet of where she plans to take her administration — including her formula for handling President Donald Trump.
“I believe the governor of Virginia and the president of the United States should have a productive relationship built on mutual trust,” Spanberger said, omitting the word “respect” that was in the written version of the speech. “And let me say here today, that where there are shared priorities, I will actively seek and be ready for partnership.”
But when federal policies threaten Virginia jobs, she said, “I will not hesitate to push back.” If leaders in Washington fail to “lead with dignity and respect and follow the rule of law, Virginia will,” she said.
And in a line that drew one of the biggest cheers from Democrats during the hour-long speech, Spanberger identified what she views as the watchwords of her new administration: “Above all else, my job as governor is to provide what the federal government too often has not: predictability, steadiness, and an unrelenting focus on the people we serve.”
For the first time, Spanberger expressed support for a proposed constitutional amendment that could give Democrats the power to re-draw congressional districts ahead of this fall’s midterm elections to favor their own party. She had previously said that Democrats can flip Republican seats without a new map, but on Monday praised the proposal — which passed the legislature last week but still must be approved by statewide voters — as a “targeted” response to other states “that have taken extreme measures to undermine democratic norms.”
Trump has encouraged states to draw red-leaning districts to help the GOP keep its House majority this fall, with Texas and North Carolina among those doing so. Spanberger said Monday that if anyone dislikes Virginia’s effort to balance the equation, “I call on you to [voice] your opposition to what is happening in other states.” The line was drowned out by a huge cheer from Democrats.
Spanberger was sworn in Saturday along with Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi (D) and Attorney General Jay Jones (D), giving Democrats full control of state government after elections last fall expanded the blue majority in the House of Delegates to 64-36. Democrats already controlled the state Senate, which was not on the ballot, 21-19.
In her inaugural speech Saturday, Spanberger pledged to work “relentlessly” to improve affordability for Virginians, which was the theme of her successful campaign last year. Now the work begins on delivering through legislation in the General Assembly, which convened last Wednesday and is scheduled to meet for 60 days.
The House of Delegates chamber where she gave Monday’s speech to the joint legislature was dappled with white as nearly every Democratic woman — who outnumber total Republicans — wore the color to signify support for women’s rights and women in government.
Spanberger renewed calls for legislation to address what she views as core issues of affordability — in housing, energy, and health care — as well as matters of public safety, workforce training and public education. She drew applause from Republicans several times, such as when she praised former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s work on economic development and when she pledged not to sign a repeal of Virginia’s “right to work” law, which prohibits union membership as a condition of employment.
But she also issued a few rebukes to the Youngkin administration, without mentioning any names. Spanberger said the state would rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — a multistate carbon-trading compact that Youngkin condemned; vowed to involve both parents and teachers in improving the state’s school systems, an area where Youngkin famously emphasized parents first; and thundered that politicizing the state’s public university boards must stop.
She has already removed several Youngkin appointees from universities where the Trump administration had sought to purge leadership and alter diversity programs, and pledged to “work with this General Assembly to pursue reforms that prevent any future governor — Democrat or Republican — from imposing an ideological agenda on our universities.”
Republicans delivered a pair of responses to Spanberger’s speech Monday, with the Senate version markedly more combative than the House.
Del. Hillary Pugh Kent (R-Richmond County) praised Spanberger’s “historic” election as the first woman to serve as Virginia’s governor and thanked her for pledging to seek unity across the aisle.
“On matters where we share common ground, like supporting families, strengthening our workforce, promoting business opportunities, and improving affordability for all Virginians, we stand ready to act on bipartisan solutions and meaningful results,” Kent said in remarks as prepared for delivery.
But Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Colonial Heights) used his remarks to slam Democrats for opening the session last week by passing the redistricting amendment.
“The Governor and Virginia Democrats may use the word ‘affordability,’ but their actions tell a different story,” Sturtevant said in the written text of his speech. “On Day One, Democrats chose to push through a partisan gerrymandering map. That does not help one Virginia family pay for groceries, housing, or electricity. It is not an affordability plan. It is a power grab.”
Republicans say they have taken Spanberger’s emphasis on affordability to heart — and are using it to make political points. A group of House GOP delegates unveiled their own “affordability agenda” Monday, offering a slate of proposed legislation they said was aimed at reducing costs for residents.
“Voters sent a clear message in November: they’re deeply concerned about the cost of living. Republicans are listening,” House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) said.
Taking a page from Youngkin’s playbook, the Republicans argue that a surplus of state revenue this year will allow the General Assembly to fund tax breaks going forward, calling for an end to the state’s grocery tax and a large chunk of the car tax and for making permanent a higher standard deduction on personal income tax that is set to expire.
Nonpartisan analysts for the General Assembly’s money committees have estimated that the state is headed for a fiscal crunch, though, with Medicaid and K-12 education obligations expected to rise by about $3 billion over the next two years while tax revenues stagnate.
House Republicans also touted legislation calling for an end to alternative energy mandates as a way to hold down power bills, conflicting with Democratic environmental priorities and legislation passed several years ago by a Democratic majority.
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