FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2025
September 25, 2025
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Abigail Spanberger for Election as Virginia’s Next Governor
AFGE says Spanberger has earned 100% voting record on issues critical to union families
WASHINGTON – The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger for election as Virginia’s next governor. The statewide election is Nov. 4.
Spanberger was elected to Congress in 2018 representing Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, flipping a seat formerly held by a Republican, and was subsequently reelected to two additional terms before deciding not to seek reelection so she could focus on her gubernatorial campaign.
“Representative Abigail Spanberger has always stood firmly with federal employees and their families. She’s been a champion for fair pay, stronger benefits, and protections against political attacks on the civil service,” AFGE District 14 National Vice President Ottis Johnson Jr. said. “Abigail understands that our federal workforce is the backbone of our communities and our nation’s security, and she’s delivered real results to make sure their voices are heard in Washington. That’s why we’re proud to endorse her for governor – because we know she’ll continue fighting for fairness, accountability, and respect for public service here in Virginia.”
Spanberger is running to strengthen public education, make Virginia more affordable, ensure public safety, and protect individual rights. Known for her moderate, coalition-building approach, Spanberger has positioned herself as a unifying leader in a politically divided state. She lives in Glen Allen with her husband, Adam, and their three daughters.
“Abigail Spanberger understands that federal employees deserve a workplace that is free from political interference and retaliation and that guarantees their right to join a union and negotiate collectively for better working conditions and fair treatment on the job,” AFGE District 4 National Vice President Christine Surrette said. “With Abigail in the governor’s office, federal employees living in Virginia will have an advocate who will fight for them and their families.”
After growing up in Henrico County, Spanberger studied at the University of Virginia and earned a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University. She began her career as a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and later served as a CIA operations officer, focusing on counterterrorism and nuclear nonproliferation.
More than 147,000 federal employees live in Virginia – caring for veterans, supporting the military, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government.
AFGE represents nearly more than 43,000 federal employees in District 4, which includes Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; and about 70,000 federal employees in District 14, which includes metropolitan D.C. and Europe.
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Click here to Donate to the AFGE Federal Employee Defense Fund.
For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.
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