Virginia Governor

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.

News

Outgoing Gov. Youngkin says he regrets failed deal for Potomac Yard sports arena

By Emily Leayman

Published January 16, 2026 at 2:45PM

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin doesn’t have many regrets as he prepares to leave office. But he named the inability to get an Alexandria arena deal done in 2024 as one lost opportunity.

The Washington Capitals and Wizards arena would have gone in Potomac Yard as part of an entertainment district. But in March 2024, the City of Alexandria announced that the proposal wouldn’t be moving forward.

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

Federal shutdown and governor’s race on Alexandria voters’ minds this Election Day

By Katie Taranto and James Cullum

Published November 4, 2025 at 11:30AM

Voters at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

As Alexandria voters shuffled to the polls this morning (Tuesday), many said they were casting ballots motivated by the government shutdown and their views on the Trump administration.

At precincts in Old Town, Mount Vernon and near Seminary Hill/Landmark, several voters lamented the shutdown and told ALXnow they do not like the political direction the country is turning toward — a sentiment fueling their ballot box decisions, particularly in Virginia’s gubernatorial election.

News

Who is on the ballot and where to vote in Alexandria on Election Day tomorrow

By Katie Taranto

Published November 3, 2025 at 1:45PM

Voting at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library in Alexandria's West End, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates are all on the ballot in Alexandria tomorrow.

The city’s voters are also poised to re-elect incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter and Sheriff Sean Casey, both of whom are running unopposed.

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published June 27, 2025 at 2:30PM

National Science Foundation at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (via NSF)

It’s been another fast week in Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories over the last several days.

Our Tuesday (June 24) story on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development taking over the National Science Foundation’s headquarters (2415 Eisenhower Avenue) garnered more than 125,000 views, making it the most-read story of the year. While bringing in more than 2,700 HUD workers, the move will also displace about 1,800 NSF employees over the next two years.

Opinion

Commentary: Her time has come: Virginia will, after four centuries, have a woman governor

By Bob Lewis, Virginia Mercury

Published April 8, 2025 at 7:30AM

Virginia governor candidates Abigail Spanberger (left) and Winsome Earle-Sears. (Spanberger photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury, Earle-Sears photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury)

It’s only taken Virginia 400-plus years to get around to it, but a fairly routine political event last weekend made it nearly an absolute certainty that next January, the commonwealth will inaugurate its first woman governor.

The Republican Party of Virginia announced on Saturday that former state Sen. Amanda Chase, a right-wing lightning rod who described herself as “Trump in heels,” had failed to gather enough signatures on qualifying petitions by that day’s deadline to appear on the Republican gubernatorial primary ballot.