Spanberger, 46, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 2019 to January 2025, defeated the Republicans by unseating the outgoing lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, and replacing the term-limited governor Glenn Youngkin.
The victory celebration, which took place on Tuesday, November 4, was filled with emotion and attended by her husband, Adam Spanberger, and their three daughters: Claire, Charlotte, and Catherine. It was Adam who emphasized the significance of the moment by addressing his daughters: "Your mother is going to be the governor of Virginia. I guarantee you those words have never been spoken in Virginia". Spanberger's husband stressed that it was a "great achievement" for the young girls to know with certainty that "they can achieve anything". Spanberger herself became visibly emotional, shedding a few tears as she addressed her family.
However, the most memorable moment of the night came when the newly elected governor jokingly addressed her youngest daughter during her speech. "I am lucky to be your mother," declared Spanberger. "And Catherine, you haven't cleaned your room today, as you promised me." Amidst the laughter of the attendees, Catherine quickly responded from behind the lectern: "I'm working on it!". Her mother cleverly replied, "If I were working on it, we wouldn't have won this election!".
Beyond the family anecdote, Spanberger also paid tribute to her mother, whose life was marked by foster care and the effort to study nursing. The governor-elect cited the lesson she learned from her struggles: "to whom much is given, much is expected".
The Democrat's triumph was part of a wave of state victories in Virginia. The Democrats achieved two more successes: Ghazala F. Hashmi will be inaugurated as the first Muslim woman to hold a state office in the U.S. as Lieutenant Governor, and Jay Jones defeated Jason Miyares to become the next attorney general of the state.