Virginia Governor Spanberger’s Radical Policies Trigger Conservative Alarm

By Sam Barron | Thursday, 19 February 2026 08:00 PM EST

Conservative Political Action Conference Chair Matt Schlapp stated on Thursday that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is the appropriate choice for Democrats to deliver their rebuttal to the State of the Union address next week.

“She represents what the Democratic Party is all about,” Schlapp said during a segment on “The Record With Greta Van Susteren.”

The CPAC chair described Spanberger as “very, very radical” and noted her “terrible vote score with CPAC.”

Schlapp, a Virginia resident, criticized Spanberger for presenting herself as moderate despite her policies. He stated that Spanberger advocates for “woke” initiatives in Virginia, including raising income taxes and increasing the state’s tax burden to match California’s levels.

Schlapp also highlighted Spanberger’s stance on reproductive rights: “No restrictions on abortion, not even parental consent on abortion.” He added that Spanberger has proposed limiting magazine bullet clip numbers and discussing the confiscation of Second Amendment rights.

The CPAC chair warned that Virginians have never seen a Democratic Party this radical. He predicted, “The Democrats today in Virginia are going to turn it into New York City, and you’re going to see a powder keg in rural America because they’re going to be frustrated by all this.”

In her statement announcing the selection, Spanberger, Virginia’s first woman governor, emphasized that Americans expect leaders who work hard to deliver results. She described the nation as being at a “defining moment” with rising costs, community chaos, and growing fear.

Sen. Alex Padilla of California will deliver the Democratic response in Spanish.