Abigail Spanberger

Force in Play

Declared state of emergency, National Guard on standby

Winter Storm Fern killed over 150 people by early February 2026, following 106 deaths on January 28. The storm brought ice and heavy snow across a 2,000-mile path from Texas to Maine, prompting President Trump to declare federal emergencies in 10+ states as peak power outages exceeded 1 million, 14,000+ flights were canceled (the worst aviation disruption since COVID-19), and wind chills dropped to minus 50°F. Fatalities came from hypothermia, traffic accidents, and ice-related incidents: Tennessee reported 29 deaths, Mississippi 28, Louisiana 8, New York City 8 people frozen outdoors, with additional deaths in Kentucky and in Texas where 3 boys drowned after falling through pond ice.

Updated May 26

Rule Changes

Inaugurated January 17, 2026

For 250 years and 74 governors, Virginia had never elected a woman to its highest office, but Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA case officer, changed that on January 17, 2026. She took the oath on the Capitol steps in Richmond alongside Ghazala Hashmi, the first Muslim woman to hold statewide office in the U.S., and Jay Jones, Virginia's first Black attorney general. Within hours, she signed 10 executive orders and appointed 27 new members to public university boards, including vacancies at UVA from recent board resignations.

Updated May 21