Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat running for Virginia’s governor, is working hard to paint herself as a moderate, positioning herself as a leader who’s against "extremism." Of course, actions speak louder than words—and Spanberger’s voting record in Congress tells a very different story.
Spanberger has become quite the expert at dodging tough questions. When pressed on her policy positions, she often deflects or gives answers so vague they’ve been dubbed “word salads” by her opponents. But the truth is, her record speaks for itself. According to a recent analysis by the Institute for Legislative Analysis, Spanberger’s voting history is solidly aligned with the far-left wing of the Democratic Party—not exactly the moderate image she’s trying to project on the campaign trail.
Let’s talk crime: Spanberger was firmly against a bill that would prevent violent criminals in Washington, D.C. from being charged as juveniles. This bill was supported by police unions who believe it’s crucial for addressing violent crime. She also opposed blocking the D.C. City Council’s soft-on-crime reforms, such as lowering penalties for carjackings and homicides—reforms so lenient that even D.C.’s liberal mayor vetoed them. Yet, Spanberger sided with the city council and opposed the action taken by Congress to block it. This puts her to the left of President Joe Biden himself, who supported blocking the council’s leniency.
When it comes to immigration, Spanberger’s stance has been equally extreme. She voted against the Laken Riley Act, a bill named after a young woman murdered by an illegal immigrant. The bill would have placed violent illegal aliens in federal custody. Spanberger also opposed other bills like the "Schools Not Shelters Act" and the "Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act," which were supported by Democrats who are far-left, including Rep. Marie Perez from Washington.
Spanberger’s position on sanctuary states seems to contradict her attempt to court moderate voters. While she claimed at a debate that Virginia would never be a sanctuary state, she was evasive when asked about specifics, and in other segments, she indicated she would defer to counties—many of which are controlled by Democrats and house large immigrant populations. This kind of wishy-washy stance isn’t the hallmark of a moderate leader.
Then there’s the issue of her lack of courage in dealing with a scandal involving attorney general candidate Jay Jones. Texts emerged of Jones fantasizing about murdering the family of a Republican. Spanberger, however, refused to call for him to drop out of the race, leading her opponent, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, to accuse her of lacking "courage." Spanberger dodged the questions, instead blaming Republicans for bringing the texts to light before the election.
Spanberger’s voting record in Congress also reveals that she is to the left of even some of the most radical progressives, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. On federal spending, she opposed an amendment to rein in Pentagon waste, something even AOC supported. She also voted against bills to limit the purchase of federal properties that were more than 40% empty, an initiative even other progressives endorsed.
On energy policy, Spanberger was all in with the far-left agenda. She opposed a bill to prevent gas stoves from being banned and supported amendments that would restrict oil production on federal lands. This isn’t just a moderate stance—it’s full-on far-left environmentalism.
Her record on national security is similarly troubling. While she supported designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, she opposed measures aimed at curbing Chinese espionage in the U.S., including bills to stop the Chinese government from infiltrating American schools.
So, as Spanberger continues to try to sell herself as a moderate alternative to Governor Glenn Youngkin, it’s clear that her voting record tells a much different story. Virginians might want to take a closer look at her true track record before they buy into the rhetoric of moderation.
