Virginia's new Democratic leaders didn't wait long to wade into national politics, signaling immediately they would contend with Republican President Donald Trump's administration in numerous policy areas.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced more than two dozen new appointments to the boards at the University of Virginia, George Mason University and the Virginia Military Institute — the latest salvo in an ongoing battle over control of the commonwealth's public colleges.
And Attorney General Jay Jones introduced a wide-ranging set of legal actions his office will immediately take, including reversing several opinions issued by his Republican predecessor. He also signaled that Virginia would join a spate of multi-state lawsuits against the federal government on issues ranging from dismantling a consumer protection agency to the president's attempt to end the United States' long-affirmed practice of birthright citizenship.
Jones launches sweeping legal agenda
Jones told VPM News last June — when he was still a Democratic primary candidate — that he intended to join the fight against Trump's administration and would "sue him into oblivion" on Day 1, a point he reiterated in September ahead of the general election and again during his election night victory speech.
"This victory is for you and for every Virginian who is lying awake right now — not because they're following along with these election returns right now, but because they're worried for their future," the man who was elected Virginia's first Black attorney general said at the time. "For themselves, and for families just like mine. We have big fights ahead of us."
Jones followed through Saturday, announcing a slate of actions that includes plans to join at least 11 multistate lawsuits against Trump and other parts of the federal government, and reverse course on other lawsuits and legal positions.
"I promised Virginians that I would push back against the Trump administration's destructive overreach, and today we are delivering on our promise to do exactly that," Jones said in a release.
There are still more lawsuits against the Trump administration that Jones could join, according to a lawsuit tracker by Marquette University's Paul Nolette.
Among the lawsuits that Virginia will be joining, according to Jones:
- California v. Trump and Washington v. Trump, two lawsuits seeking to block executive orders issued by Trump requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship and mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day to be counted
- New York v. Russell T. Vought, New York v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and New York v. Linda M. McMahon, lawsuits fighting back against the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and federal departments of health and education
- Massachusetts v. US Department of Education, a suit seeking to block a rule stripping eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness from "people whose work is disfavored by the Trump administration"
- Two lawsuits filed by California against the US Department of Health and Human Services — one looking to limit the sharing of sensitive health data with the federal Department of Homeland Security, the other pushing back against efforts to block Medicaid reimbursements for services provided by Planned Parenthood
- Washington v. Brooke L. Rollins, a challenge to the US Department of Agriculture's guidance restricting eligibility for SNAP — the nation's largest federal food assistance program — for lawful permanent residents
- Washington v. Trump and New Jersey v. Trump, lawsuits set to be heard by the US Supreme Court in 2026 challenging Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship
Jones also announced plans to reverse several legal positions held by his predecessor, Jason Miyares, and former Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration.
He said he would reverse course on Miyares' "flawed and legally incorrect position" and defend a Virginia law allowing certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition against a lawsuit filed by the federal government.
Jones also directed his office to review Miyares' opinion on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers and "develop clear guidance that balances public safety and trust between communities and law enforcement."
Additionally, the new attorney general asked his team to determine the best legal strategy to keep Virginia in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multistate carbon emissions market. A Floyd County judge ruled in November 2024 that Youngkin's order to pull Virginia out of RGGI was unlawful, but a return has been on hold pending an appeal by the state.
Jones also issued an opinion supporting the General Assembly's move to advance a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting in response to gerrymandering efforts in GOP-led states.
Republicans have argued that since early voting in Virginia's 2025 general election began before Democrats first passed the text of the redistricting amendment last October, the amendment process wasn't in line with the constitutional requirement that the amendment must be passed twice — with a House of Delegates election between the two votes.
Miyares wrote in a previous opinion that the required election wasn't until 2027. Del. Marcus Simon (D–Fairfax) requested a new opinion from Jones on the election language, and Jones wrote Saturday that the "plain language" of the constitution said it took place on Nov. 4, 2025.
The state Senate passed the amendment Friday, setting the stage for Virginia voters to have the final say on potential new congressional maps later this year.
Jones also announced plans to conduct a national search to fill vacant counsel positions at Virginia universities — jobs that are filled by, and report to, the attorney general's office. Cliff Iler, previously the counsel at the University of Virginia, left for the same position at the University of Arizona last November. The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Jones' team told the top lawyers at George Mason University and the Virginia Military Institute earlier this week that they would not continue in their roles past Friday.
Spanberger moves to revamp GMU, UVA and VMI boards
Following her first 10 executive orders, Spanberger appointed new members to the governing boards of George Mason University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Military Institute. Spanberger's 10 appointments to the UVA board are enough to constitute a Democrat-appointed majority immediately, which usually takes a governor years to obtain.
The stage for the nearly 30 appointments had previously been set since state Senate Democrats voted down several of Youngkin's picks for the boards, then sued university officials to prevent the unconfirmed appointees from attending meetings. Spanberger also wrote to the UVA board, asking them to pause a search for a new president — which the board did not do before installing Scott Beardsley in late December.
Ahead of Spanberger's inauguration, VPM News confirmed that three Youngkin-appointed UVA board members had resigned: Rector Rachel Sheridan, Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson and Paul Manning. Further reporting from The Washington Post identified resignations from Stephen Long and Douglas Wetmore; both were also appointed by the former governor.
University of Virginia
Three people who have previously served on UVA's board were reappointed, including Carlos Brown, who served as vice rector from 2023 until June 30, 2025; Victoria Harker, who was first named to the board by then-Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell in 2012; and Evans Poston, who was first appointed to the board by then-Gov. Ralph Northam in 2018.
Other appointments include entrepreneur Mike Bisceglia, who served on one of Spanberger's transition team committees. Bisceglia is also a VPM donor and former board member of the Virginia Foundation for Public Media, which provides funding to support VPM Media Corporation's operations.
Many of the appointments have deep ties to UVA, including Peter Grant and Owen Griffin, who serve on the Darden School Foundation's Board of Trustees. Robert Bryon serves on the UVA Health Foundation board, while Elizabeth Hayes served as a director on UVA's School of Architecture Foundation Board.
George Mason University
Spanberger made 12 appointments to the GMU board, the largest of the three groups. Previous reporting from The Washington Post said that Rector Charles "Cully" Stimson resigned from the board on Friday; he was appointed by Youngkin in 2023.
Two of Spanberger's appointments previously served in Congress: Republican Tom Davis and Democrat Jim Moran. Two others are currently serving on the university foundation's board of trustees, Delbert Parks and Sumeet Shrivastava — that board's chair.
One member, Shawn N. Chambliss-Purvis, has previously served on GMU's board.
Virginia Military Institute
Five people were appointed to the VMI board, including re-appointed Lester Johnson. He owns Richmond soul food restaurant Mama J's, which catered Spanberger's inauguration, according to 12 On Your Side.
Allen Damon Williams, a VMI graduate, was also reappointed; then-Gov. Ralph Northam first appointed him in 2021. Northam, who himself graduated from the school in 1981, was also appointed alongside Michael Dick, who has served on the Virginia Board of Veterans Services. Dick is currently serving as the director of the Puller Veterans Benefits Clinic at the College of William & Mary's law school.
According to state law, university boards are required to have 17 members, who are confirmed by the Virginia Senate; 12 of those members must be in-state residents, and 12 must be university alumni. Of the three schools with fresh appointments, George Mason University hasn't had a quorum since last fall.
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