Women won big in the US off-year elections (years without a presidential or midterm vote): Abigail Spanberger got elected as the new governor of Virginia, and Mikie Sherrill was elected governor of New Jersey. Both Spanberger and Sherrill, who were actually roommates at one point on Capitol Hill (fun fact!), are moderates and ran along similar platforms.
If, like me, you’ve been busy with schoolwork and haven’t been scrutinising the news as much as you probably should, you may be wondering who exactly these women are and what they’re advocating for. I’m here to give you the rundown.
Abigail Spanberger will be the first woman to lead Virginia as governor, but she isn’t new to politics.
She has served in the House of Representatives for three terms and previously worked as a CIA officer. She’s also a mom to three daughters, who stood behind her as she delivered her victory speech on November 5th.
Throughout her campaign, Spanberger has focused primarily on economic issues like affordability and the rising cost of living, while taking firm positions on key social issues such as codifying Roe vs. Wade and protecting same-sex marriage. She has also emphasized the importance of keeping communities safe, highlighting her law enforcement background along the campaign trail.
Her win flips control of the governor’s seat from Republican to Democrat, and alongside her victory, Democrats won all three statewide positions that were up for election. Ghazala Hashmi will be the lieutenant governor, and Jay Jones will be the new attorney general.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill made history as the second woman, and first Democratic woman, to serve as governor of New Jersey.
She won against Jack Ciattarelli by a wide margin, a feat given that polls showed the race to be close.
Like Spanberger, Sherrill has years of experience in public service, including in the House of Representatives and as a former Navy helicopter pilot. She’s also a mom of four, and her platform is centred around lowering costs for families. She has said she wants to lower prices on food, housing, childcare, health care, and more, through the expansion of tax credits and tax incentives. As governor, she also wants to codify a woman’s right to abortion into the State Constitution and expand universal Pre-Kindergarten.
Both women’s campaigns reflect a centre-left strategy and pragmatic approach to politics that has resonated with voters. Its target, primarily a coalition of educated suburbanites, proved crucial in these states.
At her election party, Spanberger said “[her] goal and intent is to serve all Virginians.” She added, “We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.” Today, when politics is often polarising, Spanberger and Sherrill focused on community, emphasising practical solutions and renewed unity. Their campaigns focused on affordability first–a key issue for Americans across the political spectrum–alongside protecting federal workers, same-sex marriage, and abortion rights, which have come under increasing threat at the federal level.
These elections may provide some indication of how voters will vote for next year’s midterm elections, or even the 2028 presidential election. Some say that Spanberger and Sherrill’s victories signal a new era of Democratic leadership. Most are still hesitant about the state of the Democratic party and their search for leadership and resounding guiding principles, but note that these victories still prove that Democrats can win–and win big.