Abigail Spanberger: podcast appearances and interviews

Abigail Anne Spanberger is an American politician and the 75th governor of Virginia, serving since 2026. She is a member of the Democratic Party and previously served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. Born in New Jersey on August 7, 1979, she moved frequently during her childhood before settling in Virginia. She obtained degrees from the University of Virginia and Purdue University. Before her political career, she was an officer in the Central Intelligence Agency from 2006 to 2014. Spanberger was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, defeating incumbent Republican Dave Brat, and was reelected in 2020 and 2022. She left Congress to pursue and win the Virginia gubernatorial race in 2025, becoming the state's first female governor. As governor, she implemented various policies, including the signing of a controversial assault weapons ban, increasing the state's minimum wage, vetoing legislation related to recreational cannabis retail markets and collective bargaining, and supporting the 2026 Virginia redistricting referendum.