House - Abigail Spanberger - VA-7

DONATE to Abigail's 2022 campaign via her website
VOLUNTEER options
Democrat running for re-election in reconfigured district that includes Culpeper, Fredericksburg and part of Prince William County
Video clips:

- "Spanberger: GOPs' Denial Contributed to Political Violence"

When the Washington Post editorial board advocated the re-election of Abigail Spanberger in 2020, it called her a “smart”, “pragmatic”, “thoughtful, knowledgeable legislator who has taken the trouble to legislate. That sets her apart in a body that tilts toward grandstanding and ideological flame-throwing.”

Abigail speaks about the attack on the U.S. Capitol

Abigail is known for her national security background; she served in the CIA addressing international terrorism. When Abigail was elected to Congress in 2018, she did not know that domestic terrorism would become one of her main concerns. She has spoken out powerfully about the failure of so many of her Republican colleagues to condemn the “Big Lie” about the presidential election being “stolen”. She has emphasized that this failure led to the January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and continuing concerns about extremist political violence. In the video GOPs' Denial Contributed to Political Violence, Abigail states: “And every step along the way, when they [Republicans in Congress] had the ability to tell the truth to their constituents, when they had the ability to say ‘there was no steal, the elections occurred’, when they had the opportunity they didn’t do it…The real issue that I think we need to focus on as an American people is that there is a violent and extreme ideology that has taken hold, that has been given safe harbor, if you will, in the political space. And we saw the results of what happens when that is able to fester and come to the forefront. We saw those results on January 6…but it doesn’t end there because it’s an ideology. My background is a focus on terrorism. And the domestic violent extremists who took siege and executed an insurgent attack on the United States Capitol, an insurrectionist attack, are not going away.”

When in June 2020 peaceful protesters demonstrating outside of the White House on Monday were tear-gassed and beaten to clear the way for President Trump to have a photo taken of him holding a bible at a nearby church, and Trump threatened to deploy the military to quell nationwide unrest over the death of George Floyd, Abigail said in a statement: “This is an abject failure of presidential leadership, an incendiary act of division, an escalation of tensions, and the type of actions undertaken by authoritarian regimes throughout the world." She also said: “As a former CIA officer, I know this playbook, and I know the president's actions are betraying the very foundation of the rule of law he purports to support, the U.S. Constitution."

Abigail’s background

Abigail went to school in the part of Virginia she represents. She calls herself “a proud recipient of an excellent public education”; she is a strong supporter of public schools and teachers. Abigail served as a page for U.S. Senator Chuck Robb. She earned her B.A. at the University of Virginia and her MBA at a dual degree program between Purdue University’s Krannert School and the GISMA Business School in Hanover, Germany. In the early 2000s Abigail was a postal inspector, working on money laundering and narcotics cases. In 2006 she joined the Central Intelligence Agency as an operations officer; she gathered intelligence about nuclear proliferation and terrorism. In 2017 she was appointed to the Virginia Fair Housing Board.

Priority issues

Abigail’s priority issues include:

Healthcare: What prompted Abigail to run for Congress in her native district was Republican opposition to accessible and affordable healthcare. This issue remains a top priority.
Racial equity: Abigail’s congressional website states: “The results of inequity and bias impact everything from suspension rates, to housing access, to health outcomes, to medical interventions, to job opportunity and promotions, to criminal sentencing, and even to the very safety of the water one drinks and air one breathes. Working with intentionality to root out structural racism and change biased policies is required of every legislator.”
National defense & foreign affairs: Abigail is committed to supporting servicemembers and their families. She emphasizes the importance of diplomacy and the need to reaffirm strong relations with U.S. allies.
Women’s rights: Abigail is fighting for equal pay for equal work, and protecting women's right to reproductive healthcare and abortion. She helped introduce the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was signed into law by President Biden. She has also been a vocal advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment.

In September 2019, Abigail and six other freshman House Democrats authored an opinion piece in the Washington Post calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump: “Seven freshman Democrats: These allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect”.

Abigail serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Agriculture committees.

Abigail's Republican opponent

Abigail’s Republican opponent is far-right Yesli Vega, a deputy sheriff in Prince William County. Vega has vowed to back another Trump presidential run and said she supports impeaching President Biden. Vega promoted conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and questioned whether Virginians’ legally cast ballots were legitimate. Vega praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Vega argues that “our right to keep and bear arms must never be infringed". Vega’s primary campaign had been boosted by endorsements from some of Trump’s strongest backers, including Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Jim Jordan. In April 2022 Vega was endorsed by Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; Ginni was under scrutiny for urging a top Trump administration official to help overturn the 2020 presidential election. Vega wrote on Facebook: “There’s an unusual and extra amount of hate reserved by the intolerant Left for female and minority conservatives who dare to stray and speak their minds. Ginni Thomas knows this full well and has been on the receiving end of it for decades. I don’t and won’t back down from their attacks either. Thank you for your support, Ginni. Our prayers are with you.”

Abigail’s district

Winning two elections in the conservative-leaning Virginia 7th congressional district was challenging; Abigail’s narrow victories in 2018 and 2020 were a significant achievement. Republicans had held this seat from 1970 through 2018, and they have made regaining it a top priority. The newly redrawn 7th district has been moved northwards and no longer includes various Richmond area suburbs. Abigail said: “Nearly 200,000 Virginians in the new Seventh District have already been my constituents under the current district lines, and I look forward to continuing my service representing them as well as my future constituents.”

Support for Abigail

Abigail has a strong record on protecting the environment, earning a 96% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters. She has a 100% score from Planned Parenthood, and a 0% score from the National Rifle Association.

When Emily’s List endorsed Abigail for re-election in 2022, the organization said: “EMILY’s List is excited to endorse Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who has been a dedicated public servant her whole career. Her background in national security has brought critical expertise to Congress and helped her fight to protect the American people. Congresswoman Spanberger has continued to champion the needs of her constituents throughout the pandemic, including by passing bipartisan legislation to provide Americans with new broadband networks. We are proud to continue to support Congresswoman Spanberger as she continues to lift up all Virginians.”

When Joe Biden endorsed Abigail Spanberger in her 2018 race, he said: “In all my years in politics, I can say that Abigail is the only former CIA Operative and Girl Scout Leader that I have had the good fortune to endorse…Congress is only as good as the women and men who serve there. That means we must do everything in our power to ensure principled, courageous, and honorable public servants run for office and win. Abigail has proved herself to be one of those people.”

Abigail is an outstanding member of Congress. She has served her district and the nation well. We need to help Abigail win in what is expected to be one of the closest races in the country.