If her plans come to fruition, Spanberger would be leaving her highly contested congressional seat which Democrats would have to defend in order to have a shot at retaking the U.S. House majority.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger has told at least four people that she’s planning to run for governor in 2025, Politico reports.
According to people “familiar with those conversations,” Spanberger and one of her aides told four Democrats that she’s preparing to launch a bid. Two Democratic lawmakers said her team has begun discussing plans for a statewide run.
Though she is able to run for reelection in Congress in 2024 and immediately launch her 2025 gubernatorial campaign, she and an aide told two Virginia Democrats last spring that she doesn’t plan to seek a fourth term in Congress.
Her run has been rumored for months, and if she does, she would likely be a formidable Democratic candidate. Her high-profile and years as a centrist Democrat in a swing district would make her a formidable primary opponent.
Spanberger’s office stated she’s “squarely focused on the 2023 General Assembly Races” at the moment. A formal announcement of her run would most likely come after elections in November.
