In Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, Democrats reprise a 2018 roadmap for opposing Trump 2.0
Democrats have spent the early months of Donald Trump’s second presidency trying to find the right messages and messengers to counter an aggressive administration. In the only two governor’s races of 2025, they have models that have worked before. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Rep. Mikie Sherrill in Virginia were both part of Democrats’ 2018 House class that flipped control of the chamber from Republicans. They did it with notable numbers of women, veterans and business people. Spanberger is a former CIA case worker. Sherrill is a former Naval helicopter pilot and prosecutor. Both lean into their biographies and a get-things-done approach on Capitol Hill. Democrats hope their campaigns provide a fresh roadmap for the 2026 midterms.
