Spanberger Wins Gubernatorial Election After Holding Republicans Accountable for Soaring Energy Costs

Washington, D.C. – Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia gubernatorial election. Governor-elect Spanberger centered affordability throughout her campaign, reminding voters that Trump and Republicans are responsible for their skyrocketing energy costs. In stark contrast, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears backed the Trump plan to take cheaper energy options off the table. Lori Lodes, Executive Director of Climate Power, released the following statement: 

“Abigail Spanberger ran on one thing: making life more affordable for Virginians. She called out Trump and Republicans for gutting clean energy and driving up costs. She put forward a clear plan to lower utility bills by bringing cheaper, faster energy online, while her opponent doubled down on the same failed Trump policies that have sent costs soaring.

“Tonight’s results send a clear message to Democrats heading into 2026: calling out Republicans for raising energy costs isn’t just good policy—it’s smart politics.. Voters want lower utility bills, more affordable energy options, and good-paying clean energy jobs here at home. Republicans are offering higher costs and fewer choices.Their record of powering down energy options while passing out pink slips is an electoral loser. Democrats should stay on offense heading into 2026.”

Energy costs played a critical role in the Virginia election:

• Abigail Spanberger campaigned on lowering electricity costs by releasing an energy plan that focused on increasing production of cheaper, cleaner energy and making data centers “pay their fair share”, while attacking Trump and Republicans’ budget bill for raising Virginians’ electricity costs.
• Spanberger spent more than $2 million on ads focused on energy costs. 

• During the campaign, Spanberger released six ads that mentioned energy costs. Sears released two ads that attacked clean energy, and did not mention energy costs in any of her ads.
• During the October Gubernatorial Debate, Spanberger criticized Trump for taking “millions and millions of dollars of energy investments away from Virginia.” 

• Winsome Earle-Sears does not even mention energy costs as an issue on her website, despite the fact that voters increasingly cite skyrocketing utility bills as one of the top concerns. 
• Instead, Earle-Sears has attacked cheaper, reliable clean energy and said Trump and Republicans’ budget bill, which was projected to increase energy costs by $250 in Virginia, “does so many great things.” 
• Ahead of the election, Trump tweeted that the Virginia gubernatorial election would be about energy costs – and voters rejected his cost-raising policies at the polls. 
• Across the country, voters are increasingly citing energy costs as a top concern:
  • In an October Navigator poll, cost of utilities ranks #2 for causing the most strain on voters’ budgets, scoring 24pp higher than the cost of health insurance. 
  • An AP-NORC poll from October found that electricity bills are a “major” source of stress for 36% of people.
  • In a September Heatmap poll, 57% of registered voters said that rising electricity prices are having an impact on their personal finances.
• A majority of Americans believe that efforts by the GOP, utility companies, and Big Oil CEOs are to blame for rising electricity prices.