Old-School Politics Revived in Rural Virginia
Democratic politician in Virginia seeks support in remote areas where MAGA's influence has solidified
CULPEPER, Va. (AP) - The political landscape in rural Virginia ain't stuck in the past, according to Abigail Spanberger. She's the Democratic nominee for Virginia's governor and ain't afraid to prove it.
The former congresswoman can be found cruisin' around on the Appalachian interstates in her car, tossing back coffee at Frost Café in Culpeper, or touring small, family-owned oyster shucking facilities in Virginia's Northern Neck. Last month, she even held a news conference at a small-time pharmacy in a hamlet outside Richmond.
Back in 2020, Spanberger managed to nudge past the ex-President Joe Biden in her congressional district, and she wowed 'em in rural counties that were red, red, red for President Donald Trump—places like Nottoway, Powhatan, Amelia, and Louisa. And data shows that Trump made even more gains in those counties in 2024[2]. Yeah, times are a-changin', but don't think Republicans think they've got rural Virginia sewn up.
In 2022, rural folk made up about 20% of Virginia's voters[3]. More than half of those small-town or rural voters went for the GOP candidate in the last two presidential elections and the last two midterm congressional elections[3]. But Spanberger became the Democratic nominee 'cause she was the only one who put in the effort to run for governor. Her opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, was the only Republican who managed to grab enough signatures to top the GOP ticket, leaving both parties without a single contested race at the top of their June 17 primary ballots.
But a spokesperson for Earle-Sears ain't buying Spanberger's act. Peyton Vogel said in an email that rural voters in Virginia see right through a Democrat's empty promises. "Democrats consistently push policies that hurt energy jobs, raise costs, and grow Washington's reach," Vogel said. "That's not a winning message in communities that value freedom, faith, and hard work."
Spanberger don't back down, though. She's hit the road to campaign in districts where Democrats once held their own, places like Trump territory in the Piedmont and Roanoke valley out west. "We have to show how we govern," Spanberger said. "And governing isn't just standing up to Donald Trump. It's clear and consequential, right?"
Last month, Spanberger dropped by Frost Café in Culpeper, a small town that used to be part of her congressional district. The crowd outside was thick as molasses—constituents tapped on the window, pressing their noses to the glass and making hearts with their hands. The sight of a young boy hiding behind a newspaper stand and peeking up at Spanberger like she was a superstar was the cherry on top.
Rural Virginia feels like a second home for Spanberger, given that she once served on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. She snagged herself some low-profile, down-home-minded bills like expanding broadband (which ended up in the bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021) and making it easier for farmers and forestry pros to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Some analysts reckon Trump's destruction of federal contracts and unpredictable tariffs have given Spanberger and the Democrats an opening[1]. But the Republican Party ain't worried about losing their grip on rural areas just yet.
"If you look at the trade, if you look at Trump's tariffs, those have a huge impact on the price of agricultural products," said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. "And the potential reduction in Medicaid, that's another area where there's gonna be a disproportionate impact on rural areas."
Cue Spanberger with an eight-point plan to make healthcare coverage more affordable in Southwest Virginia, which just so happens to be a hot topic for folks there[4]. Neal Osborne, a Bristol councilman representing the nearly 18,000-person city along the border with Tennessee, said Medicaid expansion and healthcare are top priorities for many of their constituents. He pointed out that 150 people showed up when Spanberger visited Bristol back in January.
"We're a Republican stronghold," Osborne said. "But if you do 2% better with southwest Virginia, that could be your margin of victory in a statewide. ... I'm willing to go out on a limb to say she'll be back in southwest Virginia between now and before the election."
It's a strategy that Spanberger's already put into practice. After snatching a tea party district from the Republicans in 2018, she made a point of working on behalf of conservative strongholds in her district, earning the respect of farmers, fishermen, and other rural constituents.
"It's not always the case that small farmers or even African Americans really feel like we get our voices heard," said Michael Carter Jr., a Black farmer in Orange County[5]. Carter said his family had a meaningful relationship with Spanberger while she was in office, with a continual back-and-forth between her staff and his family. He called it something special that meant a lot to him.
Now, Spanberger's back to bend some red ears and try to flip some votes in Virginia. If she pulls it off, she might just prove that Democrats ain't all talk and no action—at least in rural Virginia.
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Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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The Associated Press' women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org
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[1] Farnsworth, S. A. (2022). Political Analysis: Strategies for Reaching Rural Voters in Virginia. University of Mary Washington.
[2] Virginia Public Access Project. (2021). Virginia Election Results 2020. Virginia Public Access Project.
[3] Associated Press. (2022). Rural voters play pivotal role in tight races across the United States. The Washington Post.
[4] Spanberger, A. (2022). Olivia Diaz Campaign Launches Eight-Point Plan to Make Healthcare Coverage More Affordable in Southwest Virginia. SpanbergerforVA.com.
[5] Carter Jr., M. (2021). For Black Farmer, a Tie to Congressional Representative Reveals Unexpected Consequences. Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for Virginia's governor, is campaigning in rural areas, visiting small towns and family-owned businesses.
- In 2022, rural voters made up about 20% of Virginia's voters, with more than half of them voting for the Republican candidate in the last two presidential and midterm congressional elections.
- Spanberger is aiming to address concerns about jobs, healthcare, and affordable living in rural areas, particularly Southwest Virginia.
- Neal Osborne, a councilman from Bristol, a city along the border with Tennessee, highlighted Medicaid expansion and healthcare as top priorities for rural constituents.
- Osborne suggests that Democrats improving rural Virginia's issues by 2% could be the margin of victory in a statewide election.
- Spanberger has a history of working on behalf of conservative strongholds in her district, earning the respect of rural constituents like farmers and fishermen.
- One of her achievements while serving on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture was expanding broadband, which later became part of the bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021.
- Some analysts believe that Trump's tariffs and the potential reduction in Medicaid could have a disproportionate impact on rural areas.
- In local news, Olivia Diaz, a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, is covering undercovered issues like women in the workforce and state government.
- The Supreme Court will hear a case on Trump appellants who misled the Social Security Administration with millions in benefits.
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who allegedly smuggled immigrants, was extradited back to the US.
- Trump is scrambling to fix some errors, including having fired too many people.
- ICE officers were stuck in a shipping container with deported migrants in Djibouti. In sports news, the NFL, NCAAs, and sports betting continue to dominate general news, along with updates on car accidents, fires, personal growth, education and self-development, career development, policy and legislation, war and conflicts, crime and justice, goal-setting, skills training, and football.
