SUFFOLK, Va. — Abigail Spanberger, the former congresswoman and Democratic nominee in the 2025 Virginia's governor's race, stopped in Suffolk on Tuesday to discuss her plan to invest in the commonwealth's economy and job market.
Spanberger hosted this announcement at the Tidewater Community College Center for Workforce Solutions. She dubbed this set of policies the "Growing Virginia Plan."
Her plan was laid out in three parts: Growing Virginia's Workforce, Growing Business Investment, Growing Trade Opportunities.
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Spanberger's policies included establishing a paid leave program, increasing access to affordable childcare, furthering investment in the Port of Virginia, and supporting access to apprenticeship programs.
Spanberger said there is a greater need for these workforce opportunities.
The Democratic nominee cited a recent study that showed Virginia as the only state to have its unemployment rate rise in June. She pointed to the Trump administration's sweeping layoffs across the federal sector as a contributing factor.
On her website, Spanberger expands on this economic development plan, writing, "As Governor, she will use every tool available to grow Virginia’s workforce training and apprenticeship programs, so that the next generation can fill vacancies in high-skill jobs. And she will invest in Virginia’s incredible colleges and universities, community colleges, and HBCUs — which have been chronically underfunded."
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Spanberger, a former congresswoman and CIA agent, has described herself as a "pragmatic" Democrat in a previous interview with News 3.
News 3 reached out to the Republican nominee, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, for a response to this announcement. In a press release that called Spanberger's plan "an arsonist's plan on fire safety," her press secretary added:
“It takes a special kind of hubris for Abigail Spendberger (sic) to tell Virginians how she is going to make our economy strong when she is responsible for rising prices, crippling regulations, and the worst inflation in 40 years. Only a consummate insider like Spendberger thinks no one is going to look at her long and disastrous voting record. News flash: Voters are looking and they don’t want anything to do with it.”
