Overview
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger drew audible boos while throwing a ceremonial first pitch at the Richmond Flying Squirrels home opener in front of nearly 10,000 fans.
- A recent Washington Post–Schar School poll put her approval at 47% and disapproval at 46%, a sharp drop from her 57%–42% election win last year.
- Political scientist Larry Sabato called the decline “stunning,” noting she sits about 13 points below the early-term average for Virginia governors tracked since the 1990s.
- Spanberger signed a redistricting measure that now goes to an April 21 statewide referendum, a vote that could shape Virginia’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections.
- Critics point to early moves like scrapping a Youngkin order that expanded cooperation with federal immigration agents and backing contentious criminal-justice proposals, while right-leaning outlets frame voter reaction as buyer’s remorse.