Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism

History in Virginia - long in the making

Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO | By Christopher Tyree

Published January 21, 2026 at 12:01 AM EST

At a time of major political divisions, Abigail Spanberger speaks about her vision for a unified and economically sound Commonwealth during her inaugural address on January 17, 2026.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger becomes Virginia’s first female governor, acknowledging generations who fought for a political voice.

At noon on January 17, 2026, Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as the 75th Governor of Virginia. The Democrat from Henrico is the first female to be chosen as governor in Virginia since the landing at Jamestown in 1607.

“I have the honor to present to the sovereign people of Virginia, the new governor of the Commonwealth, Her Excellency, Abigail Spanberger,” House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, proclaimed to a cheering audience.

Several of Virginia’s recent governors and elected officials greet the crowd as they take their seats for the inauguration of Abigail Spanberger.

For the first time in 250 years, since Patrick Henry took the oath of office as Virginia’s first governor, have the words “Her Excellency” been used to usher in a leader of the Commonwealth.

Surrounded by family, elected leaders and thousands of supporters, Spanberger took note of the historic moment. “It is the honor of my life to stand before you and take the oath today,” she told the crowd. “The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me — I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who worked generation after generation to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today.”

Clad in a winter coat of suffragette white, Abigail Spanberger holds the hand of her husband, Adam Spanberger.

Adam and Abigail Spanberger hug following her inaugural address. He now becomes the first, first-gentleman in Virginia’s history.

Spanberger received the oath on the steps of the Capitol – the same spot where, in 1916, women from the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia rallied for the right to vote. The Virginia General Assembly failed three times to pass a measure granting women the right to vote. It wasn’t until the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 that women in Virginia were granted access to the voting booth.

Virginia did not formally ratify the amendment until 1952.

Women's suffrage rally at the Virginia State Capitol in 1916.

On the south steps of the Capitol, where more than 100 years ago women in the Equal Suffrage League rallied to win their right to vote, Abigail Spanberger gives her inaugural address as the state’s first female governor.

Abigail Spanberger takes the oath of office surrounded by her daughters, Catherine, Claire, and Charlotte at right, and husband, Adam.

Women have gained more positions of power in Virginia in the last decade. In 2019, Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, was sworn in as the first female President pro tempore. In 2021, Winsome Earle-Sears was the first woman to be elected Lt. Governor.

Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, the first female President pro tempore, center, bids farewell to Winsome Earle-Sears, left, the first female Lt. Governor of Virginia, during a tribute to Earle-Sears at the Capitol on Friday, January 16, 2026.

“Today, I stand before you on these steps not only as Virginia’s 75th Governor, but as someone who believes it is our duty to write the next chapter of our Commonwealth’s story,” Spanberger told the chilly but buoyant crowd. “It is our duty to demonstrate for the generations to come that when faced with hardships, challenges, divisions, and even bitterness, we too forged a path forward and pursued progress.”

On the night before her inauguration, Spanberger greets 2025 National American Miss Virginia Jr. Preteen Queen, Serenity Street, 9, from King William, Virginia.

Reach Christopher Tyree at christopher.tyree@vcij.org