Virginia’s new governor ran as a bipartisan bridge-builder but signed executive orders on her first day that left Republicans questioning whether her centrist campaign was nothing more than electoral packaging.

The Campaign Promise of Bipartisanship

Spanberger built her gubernatorial campaign on credentials earned during her congressional service. She repeatedly highlighted her ranking as Virginia’s most bipartisan representative, positioning herself as someone who could work across the aisle to deliver practical results. Her messaging emphasized pragmatism over ideology, appealing to moderate voters in a purple state where electoral margins matter. The pitch worked. Virginia voters gave her the governor’s mansion based largely on this promise of centrist governance that would avoid partisan extremes.

Day One Actions Spark Conservative Backlash

Spanberger’s first executive orders told a different story than her campaign rhetoric. She immediately rescinded former Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 287(g) immigration cooperation order, which had allowed local law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration authorities. She pursued housing affordability initiatives aligned with progressive zoning approaches that prioritize density over local control. Most notably, she signaled Virginia would rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program Republicans view as an expensive climate agenda that drives up energy costs for working families without meaningful environmental benefit.

The Moderate Democrat Paradox

This pattern raises legitimate questions about whether moderate Democrats exist as a meaningful political category or simply as an electoral strategy. Spanberger ran to the center but governed from a position indistinguishable from progressives who never claimed moderation. The immigration enforcement reversal particularly stands out. Public safety partnerships between local and federal authorities represent common-sense governance that protects communities. Terminating those partnerships on ideological grounds suggests priorities disconnected from practical concerns about law enforcement effectiveness and citizen safety.

The housing and energy policies follow similar logic. Progressive zoning mandates strip local communities of control over neighborhood character and development patterns. Rejoining RGGI commits Virginians to higher utility bills while other states benefit from reliable, affordable energy. These aren’t moderate compromises finding middle ground between competing interests. They’re progressive policy preferences implemented despite campaign promises suggesting otherwise. Voters deserved transparency about these intentions before casting ballots, not after inauguration ceremonies concluded.

Governance Versus Campaign Identity

Spanberger defends her approach by framing it as steady governance responding to federal policy disruptions. In her General Assembly address, she emphasized continuity with her congressional bipartisanship and focus on serving constituents. The defense rings hollow when measured against substantive policy choices. Bipartisanship means finding solutions both parties can support, not implementing one party’s agenda while claiming collaborative intent. Her actions suggest the “moderate” label functioned as electoral camouflage rather than genuine ideological positioning.

The broader implication extends beyond one governor’s choices. If Democrats can campaign as moderates, win elections based on that positioning, then govern as progressives without electoral consequences, the moderate Democrat becomes a mythical creature—discussed in theory but never observed in practice. Virginia voters watching this transition have every right to feel misled about what they voted for and skeptical about future Democratic candidates claiming centrist credentials.

Sources:

VPM – Abigail Davis Spanberger Joint Address

Fox News – Spanberger Signals Leftward Bent After Centrist Campaign

Inside Higher Ed – Spanberger Reshapes Virginia Boards Day One

Politico – Abigail Spanberger Becomes Virginia’s 1st Female Governor