ELECTION 2025: Spanberger meets VCU students in last-day campaign stop

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor

Bilan Osman, Audience Editor

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Abigail Spanberger spent one of her final campaign stops in Monroe Park on Monday to meet VCU students and drive up the vote.

Spanberger, a former congressional representative for Virginia’s 7th District, was joined by 4th District Rep. Jennifer McClellan and Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

A crowd of roughly 100 people heard Spanberger and her former Democratic colleagues on issues such as affordability, high tuition prices and getting a job after college. 

VCU’s most recent Commonwealth Poll showed Spanberger leading her Republican opponent and incumbent Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by five points — seven points smaller of a margin than VCU’s July’s poll.

Spanberger hugged and took photos with her student supporters. The crowd cheered her name as she exited her campaign bus to the song “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine.

Some students applauded the former CIA agent for taking stances to support LGBTQIA+ rights and abortion access. 

The Democratic Party of Virginia has regularly tabled around campus this semester — getting over 800 students to register to vote and over 1,000 to commit to vote since August, according to organizers.

McClellan opened a round of speeches by asking students if they were ready to elect a governor who would “make sure our colleges and universities have academic freedom and can focus on you.”

McClellan told The CT in an interview after the event she believes Spanberger would take actions as Governor to safeguard student protesters from suppression and amend the process by which governors appoint members of university boards — the main governing bodies of public schools in Virginia.

Spanberger urged the crowd to vote and “show the rest of the country what it is that we do.” 

Virginia is a “bellwether state,” one of a few states that hold odd-year elections that serve as predictors for midterm elections; when, halfway through the president’s term, Americans elect new senators and Congressional representatives.

“All across Virginia, where people are talking about the real challenges of everyday life, whether it’s affordability or rent going up, food prices going up, chaotic job markets for those headed into the workforce,” Spanberger said. “In Virginia we need a governor who will stand up against the chaos and endeavor to create stability, steadiness and job growth here on the ground.”

Visit commonwealthtimes.org/category/news/election-2025 for more information on the candidates and their positions. 

Election day is on Nov. 4. Voting information, locations and hours are available at elections.virginia.gov.