Democrat Abigail Spanberger to quit Congress and run for Virginia governor

In announcement, congresswoman cites rightwing threats to reproductive rights and efforts to clamp down on public schooling

The Democrat Abigail Spanberger will quit Congress next year to run for governor of Virginia. Announcing her move a week after voters delivered a rebuke to the current Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, she cited rightwing threats to reproductive rights and attempts to clamp down on public schooling.

Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads," Spanberger, 44, said in a video on Monday. Our country and our commonwealth are facing fundamental threats to our rights, our freedoms and to our democracy."