Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger recently addressed her 31 vetoes, which have caused public opinion to turn against her over the last few weeks. The new interview generated even more backlash, however, as many Virginia residents believed she was not making the situation any better for herself.
During a recent interview, Spanberger addressed the outcry over some of her recent vetoes. The list included measures that would have expanded collective bargaining, established a retail cannabis market in Virginia, and limited ICE activity at courthouses.
Spanberger explained that she wanted to be “consistent” and “pay attention to the details” of the bills. She said she considered herself responsible for implementing new laws and was not afraid to veto anything that could rebound on her administration. “Do people want me to sign a bill, or do people want me to get it right?” she asked.
Virginia Residents Criticize Spanberger After She Addresses Her Vetoes
Voters across multiple threads on Reddit’s r/Virginia criticized the governor over the recent interview. According to one local, “I continue to be surprised at how poorly she seems to understand this job.”
One Virginia resident argued that there was no real reason to veto some popular bills, such as those that would have given unions more rights, and said Spanberger “could have worked with legislators to agree on a version she’d sign.” Someone else wrote, “She is the worst successful politician I have ever seen.”
Much of the disappointment stems from Spanberger being far more “moderate” than many voters expected. “I am so tired of politicians on their high horses going against the will of the people while they clutch their pearls and claim that they know better than everyone else,” one resident wrote. Another added, “I’ve voted Democrat for all of my voting years, and I will still support Spanberger over Sears. But my party would benefit greatly from abandoning this dismissive and arrogant approach to voters’ concerns.”
Some seemingly Democratic voters appeared especially displeased with their own party: “That’s because the Democratic Party is a right-wing party that happens to be less insane than the GOP, to set a bar incredibly low.”
2026 is only the first year of Spanberger’s term, which will end in January 2030. Under Virginia law, she cannot serve a consecutive second term. It remains to be seen whether public opinion of her will improve over time or whether she will continue to face criticism from her own voters.
