Who is Abigail Spanberger? Virginia governor to deliver Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union address
The high-profile speaking slot is often given to those considered rising stars.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address next week.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday that Spanberger will speak following Trump on Tuesday night. California Sen. Alex Padilla will deliver the Spanish-language response.
"We are at a defining moment in our nation’s history. Virginians and Americans across the country are contending with rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring. Next week, I look forward to laying out what these Americans expect and deserve -- leaders who are working hard to deliver for them," Spanberger said in a statement.
Jeffries touted Spanberger's 2025 win in Virginia, where she flipped control of the governor's mansion from red to blue and became the first woman to serve in the position.
"She stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who will lie, deflect and blame everyone but himself for his failed presidency on Tuesday evening. As our nation marks its 250th anniversary this summer, Governor Spanberger embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant," Jeffries said in a statement.
Schumer said Spanberger "will lay out a clear path forward: lower everyday costs, protect healthcare, and defend the freedoms that define who we are as a nation."
The high-profile speaking slot next Tuesday is often given to those considered rising stars in their respective parties.
Before entering politics, Spanberger, a mother of three, spent years as an officer for the Central Intelligence Agency working undercover and overseas.
In 2018, she ran for Congress in Virginia and won, defeating a two-term Republican. She joined the House alongside a record number of women, many Democrats, elected in the first cycle after Trump's 2016 victory.
She entered the national spotlight during last year’s elections, the first major test for the Democratic Party after a bruising defeat in 2024.
Spanberger, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani focused their successful campaigns in 2025 on the issue of affordability, vowing to improve the economy and lower the cost of living. The result was a Democratic sweep in the year's marquee races.
"Tonight, we turned a page. We turned that page by listening to our neighbors, focusing on practical results, laying out a clear agenda, and leading with decency and determination," she said in her victory speech in November.
After her inauguration, Spanberger outlined her vision for working with the Trump administration in a speech to a joint session of Virginia's General Assembly.
"I believe the governor of Virginia and the president of the United States should have a productive relationship built on mutual trust. We are neighbors, after all," she said. "And let me say here today, that where there are shared priorities, I will actively seek and be ready for partnership. I want Virginia to lead the way. But I also have a responsibility to the 8.8 million people who call Virginia home."
"So when federal actions attack and threaten Virginia jobs, I will not hesitate to push back. When federal chaos creates uncertainty for Virginia families, I will work to provide stability. When Washington fails to lead with dignity and respect and follow the rule of law, Virginia will," she added. "Above all else, my job as governor is to provide what the federal government too often has not: predictability, steadiness and an unrelenting focus on the people we serve."
Earlier this month, in the wake of the controversial immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, she signed an executive directive instructing the state's law enforcement agencies to terminate agreements with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement that allowed state officers to be deputized for federal immigration enforcement.
"Taking Virginia law enforcement, state agency personnel, and basically giving them over to ICE, is something that ends today," she said.
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