This weekend, Virginia made history.
When former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger was inaugurated as the commonwealth’s 75th governor, she also became the first woman to hold the position.
The historic inauguration took place on Saturday, on the South Portico of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond.
Spanberger was sworn in along with Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi and Attorney General-elect Jay Jones.
Hashmi and Jones also made history as they were sworn in, with Hashmi becoming the first Muslim woman to enter statewide office in the United States and Jones becoming the commonwealth’s first Black attorney general.
The November election was a Democratic sweep of Virginia’s statewide posts. Democrats have also retained a narrow control of the state legislature.
The ceremony began at noon with the oaths of office. Spanberger gave a speech after she was sworn in, acknowledging the long and storied history of Virginia in American democracy and pledging to work for everyone.
“It is with a profound sense of duty to all Virginians that I assume the governorship and pledge to work tirelessly on behalf of our commonwealth,” Spanberger said in her speech. Read and watch that full speech here.
She also turned toward the future of the commonwealth, focusing on affordability and togetherness against a national backdrop of division and economic turmoil.
“When today is so uncertain, it is hard to dream big for tomorrow,” Spanberger said in her speech. “It is our duty to demonstrate for the generations to come that when faced with hardship, challenges and bitterness, we forged a path forward and pursued progress.”
Immediately after the ceremony, an inaugural parade circled the Virginia State Capitol.
After the parade ends, the newly-inaugurated Gov. Spanberger will sign a series of executive orders.
Those orders are expected to focus on open seats on the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors, the deputization of Virginia State Police officers to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the treatment of transgender students in public schools.
Other top-priority issues for the incoming administration include the cost and impact of data centers and affordability for housing and health care.
Spanberger’s agenda is tempered by a worsening financial picture for the commonwealth, as hundreds of millions in federal funds are lost.
But the incoming governor has chosen to focus on navigating whatever the future brings with a theme that preaches togetherness: United for Virginia’s Future.
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