Youngkin’s legacy, and how Spanberger is building her own

Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger was inaugurated on Jan. 17 after four years of Republican Glenn Youngkin’s administration, planning to shift policy in healthcare, gun control, reproductive rights, education, and environmental regulation.

Youngkin’s four year term was characterized by key policies surrounding education, the economy, public safety, and energy.

Most recent data from Virginia Commonwealth University Wilder School’s poll in Jan. 2025 lists Youngkin with a 51% approval rating, with 23% of Democrats, 57% of independent voters, and 83% of Republicans approving.

Here is an overview of Youngkin’s defining actions during his term and what Spanberger has done in her first week in office.

K-12 Education

In the first week of Youngkin’s term, he signed Executive Order 1, ending the teaching of “inherently divisive concepts” in K-12 schools, including Critical Race Theory. The order requires that school superintendents review curriculum and training, with an online parent tip line created for parents to report violations. Critics claimed that the order was difficult to enforce and overlooked concepts of systemic racism, while supporters praised the order for shifting academic focus from ideology to traditional curriculum. 

During his administration, Youngkin also raised standardized test score standards, expanded dual-enrollment and career-and-technical education opportunities, formed the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force to address issues and regulations surrounding student absenteeism, passed the Virginia Literacy Act in an effort to increase literacy rates, cut red tape around teacher hiring, and signed legislation allowing seat time flexibility to localities. Most notably, Governor Youngkin signed Executive Order 33, banning cell phone and smart device use in K-12 public schools from “bell-to-bell.” This order was later codified into law through Senate Bill 738 and House Bill 1961. Youngkin is also a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s initiatives to increase state power in education. 

Abigail Spanberger’s Strengthen Virginia School’s Plan, carried out partially through Executive Order 4, plans to increase state funding in K-12 education, uphold academic standards, follow through with the Virginia Literacy Act, reform Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, and increase funding for teachers in hopes of solving staffing shortages. Through Executive Order 9, Spanberger supports affirmative action efforts in hiring, planning to seek talent across all groups of people without lowering performance standards. Executive Order 4 requires the Secretary of Education and regional superintendents to evaluate both diversity of thought and representation, though the order does not touch on the teaching of “divisive concepts” emphasized by the Youngkin administration.

The Economy

Youngkin’s economic policy focused on cutting taxes, deregulation, job growth, and business investment. Under Youngkin’s administration, Virginia saw over 100 billion dollars in corporate investments from companies like LEGO, Eli Lilly, and Buc-ee’s, and 9 billion dollars in tax relief for families. During the government shutdown in late 2025, Youngkin issued Executive Order 54, declaring a state of emergency to create the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance program to use state funding to provide SNAP benefits. 

Throughout Abigail Spanberger’s campaign, she focused on affordability across all sectors of life. In Executive Order 1, Spanberger launched her “Statewide Affordability Directive,” ordering the executive office to “make changes… that will reduce cost for Virginians.” As a fiscal liberal, Spanberger’s administration is expected to move away from Youngkin’s tax cuts towards a more progressive tax system. 

Public Safety and Health

During his term, Youngkin established the “Right Help, Right Now” and expanded the 988 crisis hotline, crisis centers, and mobile crisis units. Youngkin also sought to expand rural healthcare opportunities through a one billion dollar federal investment. Both Glenn and Suzanne Youngkin led initiatives in cooperation with the Virginia State Police to reduce fentanyl trade, resulting in a 59 percent drop in fentanyl related deaths from Jan. 2022 to Nov. 2025. Youngkin also sought to regulate marijuana use, vetoing the legislature’s creation of a legal adult-use market.

In Executive Order 2, Spanberger established the Interagency Health Finance Task Force to evaluate inefficiencies in healthcare through state funding. This order plans to reverse the impacts of Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which cut Medicaid and restricted Medicare.

Energy

Youngkin removed energy regulations, reevaluating the Virginia Clean Energy Act and Clean Car standards. Youngkin focused on an “all-of-the-above” approach, utilizing gas, nuclear, and renewable energy sources. 

Spanberger’s energy policy focuses on expanding renewable energy sources, making energy sources more efficient, and regulating data centers. 

Immigration

During 2025, Youngkin issued Executive Order 47, requiring local and state law enforcement to cooperate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts against illegal immigration. 

Spanberger’s Executive Order 10 rescinds Youngkin’s order with the purpose of ensuring the “safety and security of all residents in Virginia.”

The former Congresswoman and CIA case officer, Abigail Spanberger, will continue to execute her duties as governor for the next four years. Spanberger’s policy marks a significant shift from the Youngkin Administration and Virginians await the effects of her policy.