Abigail Spanberger | ALXnow

Alexandria high school students feel confident about gun safety bills advancing in Richmond

Published January 28, 2026 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City High School chapter of Students Demand Action meets with Del. Alfonso Lopez (courtesy of Virginia chapter of Students Demand Action)

Students from Alexandria City High School went to Richmond last Thursday to push for gun safety legislation with lawmakers as they hope the odds for passage have increased under the Democratic trifecta.

ACHS’ Students Demand Action chapter took part in Advocacy Day at the state capital, which included conversations with several legislators representing Alexandria — House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-4), State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), Dels. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and Alfonso Lopez (D-3). They were joined by Virginia Moms Demand Action and other SDA chapters statewide.

Around Town

Del Ray resident’s hand-painted designs will be featured at Spanberger inauguration market

By Emily Leayman

Published January 12, 2026 at 2:45PM

Alexandria-based business Ella Bella (courtesy of Ella Bella)

The hand-painted designs of Del Ray-based Ella Bella will soon be in the hands of people from around Virginia attending Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s inauguration market.

Ella Bella Flourish Fearlessly is one of two businesses from the D.C. area invited to participate in the Made in Virginia Market in Richmond on Friday, along with Occoquan’s Hello Jackson Home Fragrance Co. Spanberger will make remarks at the market to kick off a weekend of inauguration festivities.

News

Political domino effect hits Alexandria as Sen. Ebbin resigns to join Spanberger administration

By James Cullum

Published January 7, 2026 at 9:20PM | Updated January 7, 2026 at 9:45PM

State Sen. Adam Ebbin speaks at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Rumors in Alexandria have finally been confirmed as State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) announced Wednesday night that he will be resigning to join Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration.

Ebbin will be the senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, according to a press release, and his resignation will go into effect Feb. 18. Soon after Ebbin’s announcement, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and former Del. Mark Levine (D-45) announced their intention to run for Ebbin’s seat.

News

Gov.-elect Spanberger taps Alexandria Sheriff for transition committee

By James Cullum

Published December 10, 2025 at 1:45PM

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey at the swearing in of Police Chief Tarrick McGuire, Dec. 10, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey has been named to Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s Transition Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Policy.

Casey was notified last week in an email from Spanberger’s staff that he was named to the committee and assigned to its eight-member Criminal Justice/Corrections Subcommittee.

News

UPDATED: Spanberger elected Virginia governor, Hashmi lieutenant governor, in historic firsts

By The Associated Press

Published November 4, 2025 at 8:10PM | Updated November 4, 2025 at 11:44PM

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

RICHMOND, Va — Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor’s race Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first woman ever to lead the commonwealth.

Spanberger’s win was the first in a big night for Democrats in Virginia and around the country, casting new doubts about President Donald Trump’s political strength less than a year into his second White House term.

News

Spanberger rallies with Latino legislators in Del Ray ahead of Election Day next week

By James Cullum

Published October 30, 2025 at 4:30PM | Updated October 30, 2025 at 6:20PM

Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks at Los Tios in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood, Oct. 30, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger appeared in a “Latinos for Spanberger” rally today (Thursday) in Alexandria.

Spanberger spoke at a packed event at Los Tios (2615 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray, flanked by Latino legislators Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Del. Alfonso Lopez D-Virginia House District 3), and City Council Member Canek Aguirre. Spanberger has a 10-digit lead against her opponent, Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, according to a recent Roanoke College poll.

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Democrat Abigail Spanberger backs Virginia legislature’s redistricting push

By The Associated Press

Published October 27, 2025 at 9:07PM | Updated October 28, 2025 at 6:13AM

FILE - Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., speaks during an interview at Libbie Mill Library in Henrico County, Va., Nov. 25, 2024, after she announced she will run for Virginia governor. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly, File)

By STEVE PEOPLES and OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, said Monday that she would not oppose a push by the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature to redraw congressional districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

News

Spanberger to make Alexandria stop on 11-day statewide bus tour

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 20, 2025 at 11:30AM | Updated October 20, 2025 at 2:32PM

Spanberger announced 11-day "Virginia Votes Blue Bus Tour" (via Abigail Spanberger for Virginia Governor)

Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will bring her “Virginia Votes Bus Tour” to Alexandria on Thursday, Oct. 30, as part of an 11-day, 40-plus-stop campaign swing across Virginia ahead of Election Day.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate announced the tour Monday, saying she will visit all 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts between Oct. 25 and Election Day on Nov. 4.

News

Candidates in Virginia governor’s debate clash over shutdown and violent rhetoric

By The Associated Press

Published October 9, 2025 at 9:01PM | Updated October 9, 2025 at 9:19PM

This combo image shows Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, left, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, right. (AP Photo)

By OLIVIA DIAZ, STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia gubernatorial candidates Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger faced off Thursday for the first and only time on the debate stage in a fiery affair that was combative from the very first answer.

News

Early voting begins Sept. 19 in Alexandria for statewide races

By James Cullum

Published September 9, 2025 at 1:30PM

A voting sign at the Alexandria Registrar of Voters, 132 N. Royal Street, in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Early voting for November’s general election starts on Friday, Sept. 19, across Virginia. Here’s what you need to know in Alexandria.

Early voting starts 45 days before election day, and the only contested elections voters can decide on in Alexandria are for the Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

News

New poll shows Spanberger ahead, but Earle-Sears closes gap

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Published August 19, 2025 at 7:55AM | Updated August 19, 2025 at 12:50PM

Democrat Abigail Spanberger (left) and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears are competing in Virginia’s 2025 governor’s race. A new Roanoke College Poll shows Spanberger leading by 7 points. (Photos by Parker Michels-Boyce and Mechelle Hankerson for the Virginia Mercury)

Democrat Abigail Spanberger holds a 7-point lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in the race for Virginia governor, according to a new Roanoke College Poll that shows the contest tightening since the spring.

The survey, released by the college’s Institute for Policy and Opinion Research Tuesday morning, found Spanberger supported by 46% of likely voters compared with 39% for Earle-Sears. Fourteen percent remain undecided, and 1% said they would back someone else. The numbers mark a closer race than in May, when Roanoke’s poll showed Spanberger ahead 43%-26%.