Spanberger brags about Virginia investments. But they weren’t hers to brag about

Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has capitalized on the multibillion-dollar economic success achieved under her GOP predecessor, earning ire from Republican leaders and their representatives running the state before she even got there.

Spanberger announced earlier this week that legislation had been signed allowing four separate investments from the aviation, energy and pharmaceutical industries. The investments will account for 3,250 new jobs and $7.1 billion in business investment in the state, according to a press release from Spanberger’s office.

“Since my first day in office, I have been working to create a stable business environment so companies can hire, grow and continue to invest in the Commonwealth,” Spanberger said in the news release. he said. “I am signing these bills into law so we can continue to grow Virginia’s economy and create opportunities for Virginians.”

However, Spanberger’s signature was actually just a formality, as the deals he touted were part of Youngkin’s broader effort to spur economic development as governor of Virginia, which included a record $156 billion in total CEO commitments during his tenure. The former GOP governor raised more as he left office than he had in the previous six gubernatorial administrations combined, according to a press release from Youngkin’s team.

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“He’s trying to take credit for someone else’s work,” former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told Fox News Digital. “In elementary school, we call this cheating.”

“The last three months have been nothing short of terrible news for Virginians, as Abigail Spanberger has broken every promise she made on the campaign trail and now has the lowest approval rating of any Virginia governor this century,” Youngkin spokesman Justin Discigil added. “Governor Youngkin is happy to remind Virginians of some good news, even if it means getting a piece of the economic deals Governor Spanberger secured for the Commonwealth.”

Spanberger did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

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The four bills authorizing the awards with his signature were announced during Youngkin’s term as governor.

The first of these, HB 1531, appropriates $537 million for aviation company Avio USA and is expected to create more than 1,500 jobs. The award was announced in December 2025, according to public reporting at the time. The next bill, HB 799, would allocate $457 million and is expected to create over 825 jobs. This award was announced by Youngkin in September 2025. HB 800, which allocates more than $2 billion to drugmaker Eli Lilly and is expected to create more than 450 jobs to produce active ingredients in key cancer, autoimmune and other advanced drugs, was also announced in September 2025. Meanwhile, rounding out a handful of investments Spanberger touted this week was HB 1076, which invests $4 billion in pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and is expected to create about 500 jobs. This commitment was announced in October 2025.

Abigail Spanberger exchanges keys with outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin before inauguration ceremonies at the Capitol in Richmond Va. on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Steve Helber/AP)

“Attracting new business and jobs to Virginia is a key focus of my administration, and I am proud of the hundreds of millions of dollars in investments we have already announced this year,” Spanberger continued in the press release announcing the Virginia investments this week. “I look forward to continuing to work with legislators, local communities and business leaders as we make clear that Virginia is the best state in the country to grow or start a business.”

In the background section of the press release, the announcement continues to tout Spanberger’s commitment to growing Virginia’s economy.

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“My simple message to Abigail Spanberger is, to quote Elizabeth Warren, ‘You didn’t do this!'” said Sean Kennedy, president of Virginians for Safe Communities. “Spanberger has to take credit for his Republican predecessor’s successes in bringing jobs to Virginia because his policies are actually raising taxes, killing jobs, and increasing energy costs. Spanberger has to convince 2028 that he’s delivering on his affordability agenda to influence the Democratic Party’s influencers. I think Spanberger will still persist with his false claims.”

Critics of Spanberger have questioned his moderate campaign message, as well as his economic strategy, which has included imposing new taxes in the state, even though he campaigned on a message of affordability.

Miyares, who lost in November to incumbent Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones, argued that “Abigail Spanberger’s first 100 days in office were a disaster when it comes to economic development. Jones infamously called for the killing of her GOP rival, which ultimately wasn’t important enough to voters as she and Spanberger emerged victorious in November.”

“The three pillars of a good business environment are a good tax environment, a good regulatory environment, and – from a litigation perspective – an environment that is not anti-business. Spanberger has already cited and introduced a number of bills that would make Virginia less competitive. Virginia does not compete on its own, we compete with 49 other states, and Spanberger seems determined to hurt us with his taxes, regulations, and lawsuits.”

Miyares added that he was aware of the large number of Virginia businesses former Governor Youngkin hired and was considering expanding in Virginia, but would no longer do so as a result of Spanberger’s policies.

He also noted that Spanberger “does not believe in energy abundance,” despite touting energy infrastructure investments this week. “I find what he’s trying to do ridiculous and pathetic in some ways,” Miyares said.

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (left) defeated former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares in November. Jones won alongside Spanberger, who defeated former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears. (Dispatch via Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Pool)

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In response to headlines about rising unemployment numbers in Virginia, the Virginia GOP added in February: “Abigail Spanberger inherited a $2.7 billion surplus and benefited from the hundreds of thousands of new jobs created under Republican leadership.” “He and his Democratic allies are delivering on every promise they made about ‘affordability’ while squandering it all in a matter of weeks.”