Spanberger breaks Virginia ceiling as the state’s first female governor

Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor, defeating Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and signaling a historic shift as Democrats gain power in the state; the inauguration also installed Ghazala F. Hashmi as lieutenant governor and Jay Jones as attorney general, with Spanberger pledging to shield Virginia’s economy from Washington policies and address concerns about healthcare access and rural hospitals.