Former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger is projected to beat Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for Virginia's governor's office, becoming the first woman elected to lead the commonwealth.

The race was projected Tuesday night by CNN, which had Spanberger winning about 54% of the vote with 32% reporting.

The race was a key pickup for Democrats, who are running on a message that President Donald Trump has not done enough to lower the cost of living for many.

Earle-Sears' platform largely aligned with the president's policies, although Trump refused to formally endorse her in the race.

Virginia also has a high number of federal workers in the electorate, and some experts have suggested that the race could portend what's to come in the 2026 midterm election.