India, Nov. 5 -- In a historic victory ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Democrat Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to become the first woman governor of Virginia, ending Republican Glenn Youngkin's four-year tenure.

Following her win, Spanberger told cheering supporters, as quoted by CNN: "We sent a message to every corner of the Commonwealth - a message to our neighbors, to our fellow Americans, and to the world - that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship."

Millions of Americans cast their ballots in Tuesday's state and local elections - the first major electoral test since Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term after winning the 2024 presidential el...