Virginia is home to approximately 320,000 federal government employees and hundreds of thousands of federal contractors.
November 06, 2025
medium
temporal
Estimate of the size of the federal workforce and contractor presence in the state of Virginia.
In the Virginia criminal case described, each count of felony child neglect is punishable by up to five years in prison per conviction.
November 06, 2025
high
legal
Maximum statutory imprisonment referenced for felony child neglect counts in the reported case.
Under Virginia state law, a sitting governor is prohibited from running for a consecutive term.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Gubernatorial term-limit rule in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
As of 2025-11-05, Virginia's gubernatorial elections have tended to elect a governor from the political party opposite the sitting U.S. president, a recurring pattern often called the 'Virginia curse'.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a recurring partisan pattern in Virginia gubernatorial elections relative to the sitting U.S. president.
Virginia gubernatorial elections are frequently observed nationally as indicators of broader federal political sentiment or as a proxy for presidential-era political influence.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Describes how observers often interpret Virginia governor races in national political terms.
A 2025 CBS News exit poll found that three in four New York City mayoral voters (approximately 75%) said the cost of housing is a major problem.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Exit poll result reporting voter priorities in the New York City mayoral election.
Winsome Earle-Sears held the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Office held by Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia state government.
Winsome Earle-Sears advocated for policy positions including school choice, repealing car taxes, protecting children's education, and expanding the economy.
November 05, 2025
high
policy
Policy positions stated by the politician during her campaign.
Virginia elected its first female governor, Abigail Spanberger.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Historical milestone in Virginia gubernatorial elections.
A 2025 CBS News exit poll in Virginia found that voters who identified the economy as the most important issue favored Abigail Spanberger over Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 20 percentage points.
November 05, 2025
high
statistical
Exit poll subgroup result showing the preferences of voters prioritizing the economy in the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial race.
As of 2025-11-04, in 11 of the 12 most recent Virginia gubernatorial elections, the candidate whose party matched that of the sitting U.S. president lost the election.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Historical pattern of Virginia gubernatorial election outcomes relative to the incumbent president's party.
As of 2025-11-04, Virginia is one of only two U.S. states that hold gubernatorial elections in the year following a U.S. presidential election.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Timing of Virginia's gubernatorial elections relative to the U.S. presidential election cycle.
Virginia is often regarded as a political bellwether for the subsequent year's congressional midterm elections because of its competitive (purple) political landscape and the timing of its gubernatorial election.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Virginia's electoral results are frequently used to infer broader national political trends ahead of midterm elections.
As of 2025-11-04, Virginia is home to more than 152,000 federal workers.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Concentration of federal employees in Virginia, relevant to economic and political analyses.
A 2025 AP Voter Poll conducted by the Associated Press surveyed more than 17,000 voters across New Jersey, Virginia, California, and New York City.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Scope and sample size of the poll referenced in reporting on voter attitudes during the 2025 election cycle.
A 2025 AP Voter Poll found that more than half of voters in New Jersey and more than half of voters in Virginia said they were 'angry' or 'dissatisfied' with how things were going in the country.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Measure of voter sentiment reported in the poll during the 2025 election cycle.
A 2025 AP Voter Poll found that most New Jersey voters identified property taxes as a 'major problem', most New York City voters identified the cost of housing as a 'major problem', and most Virginia voters reported feeling at least some impact from recent federal government cuts.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Poll findings on which local economic issues were perceived as major problems by voters in specific jurisdictions during the 2025 election cycle.
As of 2025, Virginia had around 320,000 federal workers and hundreds of thousands of federal contractors.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of federal employment and contracting in the state of Virginia.
As of 2025-11-04, Ghazala Hashmi became the first Indian American and the first Muslim to win statewide office in the state of Virginia.
November 04, 2025
high
historical
Historic milestone in Virginia electoral history regarding representation of Indian Americans and Muslims.
Virginia and New Jersey hold their gubernatorial elections in the year following a U.S. presidential election, and those races are often watched nationally as a barometer of voter sentiment.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Off-year gubernatorial elections in these states are used as indicators of broader voter attitudes toward the parties.
Between 2005 and 2025, Virginia experienced a political realignment driven largely by population growth in the Washington, D.C., suburbs in Northern Virginia that favored Democratic candidates.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Suburban population growth in Northern Virginia has been a major factor altering the state's political balance.
Republican presidential candidates carried Virginia in ten consecutive elections from 1968 through 2004, and Democratic presidential candidates carried Virginia in the five presidential elections from 2008 through 2024.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Historical presidential voting patterns in Virginia show a long Republican streak followed by a Democratic winning streak in the 21st century.
In Virginia, a proposed constitutional amendment must be passed by the General Assembly in two successive legislative sessions and then approved by voters in a statewide referendum before it becomes part of the state constitution.
October 31, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the state constitutional amendment process that governs changes such as granting the legislature new redistricting authority.
A 2025 Suffolk University poll of likely voters in Virginia found Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger leading Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears 52% to 43%.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
statewide gubernatorial polling result reported by Suffolk University Political Research Center
In Virginia, a Commonwealth's Attorney may recuse from a case due to a potential conflict of interest, and a circuit judge can appoint another county's Commonwealth's Attorney as a special prosecutor who is authorized to exercise all powers of the Attorney for the Commonwealth in that matter.
October 22, 2025
high
procedural
Describes a standard prosecutorial-recusal and special-prosecutor appointment procedure used in Virginia courts.
James City County, Virginia, has jurisdiction that includes the independent city of Williamsburg.
October 22, 2025
high
geographic
States the administrative/jurisdictional relationship between James City County and the independent city of Williamsburg in Virginia.
Virginia state law bars governors from serving a second consecutive four-year term.
October 21, 2025
high
legal
Term-limit rule for the office of governor in Virginia.
Northern Virginia (Virginia) contains the largest cluster of data centers in the United States.
October 20, 2025
high
geographic
Regional concentration of data center infrastructure in the U.S.
As of October 16, 2025, Jay Jones is the Democratic nominee for Virginia Attorney General.
October 16, 2025
high
temporal
Identifies the major-party nominee in the Virginia attorney general race.
Virginia does not permit straight-ticket voting; voters must select candidates individually in each statewide contest.
October 16, 2025
high
electoral
State election procedure in Virginia
The Virginia Human Rights Act is a state law that prohibits discrimination.
October 16, 2025
high
legal
Statutory prohibition on discrimination in Virginia
New Jersey and Virginia hold their gubernatorial elections in the year following U.S. presidential elections.
October 15, 2025
high
temporal
Scheduling of state gubernatorial elections relative to the U.S. presidential election cycle.
Virginia's gubernatorial elections are often considered bellwether indicators for the party in control at the federal level and for broader national political trends ahead of midterm elections.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Virginia's statewide elections are frequently used to gauge national political sentiment and the standing of the party that holds the presidency.
Virginia has a substantial population of federal employees and military personnel, which makes federal workforce reductions and government shutdowns more likely to have outsized economic and political impacts in the state.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Proximity to the federal government and presence of military installations concentrate federal employment in Virginia relative to many other states.
Publix operates supermarket stores in eight U.S. states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, with more than 1,421 total supermarket locations and over 900 locations in Florida.
October 09, 2025
high
temporal
Company footprint and store counts reported for Publix.
Virginia allows open carry of firearms but permits local governments to prohibit firearms in certain public areas and imposes additional restrictions on specific types of guns, including semi-automatic weapons, in some localities.
October 09, 2025
high
temporal
Overview of Virginia's more restrictive open-carry framework and local authority.
The Virginia Law Enforcement Sheriffs' Association represents the 86 sheriffs serving Virginia's counties and independent cities.
October 08, 2025
high
organizational
Describes the membership scope of the statewide sheriffs' association in Virginia.
Virginia's local government structure includes counties and independent cities.
October 08, 2025
high
structural
General description of Virginia's sub-state political subdivisions.
Winsome Earle-Sears is the Republican lieutenant governor of Virginia and a Republican candidate for governor of Virginia in 2025.
July 01, 2025
high
temporal
Earle-Sears holds the office of lieutenant governor and is campaigning for governor in 2025.
Jerrauld 'Jay' Jones is a Democratic candidate for attorney general of Virginia in 2025.
July 01, 2025
high
temporal
Jay Jones is running in the 2025 Virginia attorney general race as a Democrat.
Jay Jones was a Democratic candidate running for Virginia attorney general in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Candidate status for the 2025 Virginia attorney general election.
Mark Warner and Tim Kaine were the two Democratic U.S. senators representing the state of Virginia in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
U.S. Senate representation for Virginia.
Abigail Spanberger was a Democratic candidate running for governor of Virginia in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Candidate status for the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election.
A 2025 Wall Street Journal analysis found that working-class, Hispanic, and Black neighborhoods in Virginia and New Jersey that had supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election shifted toward Democratic candidates in the 2025 gubernatorial elections.
January 01, 2025
high
statistical
Comparison of voting patterns between the 2024 presidential election and 2025 gubernatorial elections as identified by a Wall Street Journal analysis.
Virginia law requires a magistrate to communicate the release of a person charged with an act of violence to the attorney of the commonwealth, but Virginia law does not require a written explanation for that release communication.
November 15, 2024
high
statutory
Specific state statutory requirement and limitation regarding communication of violent-charges releases.
In Virginia, the lieutenant governor ceremonially presides over the state Senate.
January 10, 2024
high
temporal
Describes the institutional role of the lieutenant governor in Virginia's state government.
A 2022 Virginia constitutional amendment placed authority over legislative redistricting in a semi-independent commission.
January 01, 2022
high
legal
Describes the structural change to redistricting authority enacted by a statewide constitutional amendment.
In 2020, more than two-thirds of Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to draw decennial legislative maps.
November 03, 2020
high
temporal
State-level ballot measure that created an independent commission for drawing legislative districts on the decennial redistricting cycle.
Virginia voters had not split their ticket in a statewide election since 2005.
January 01, 2005
high
temporal
Historical pattern of voting behavior in Virginia statewide elections.
Virginia experienced a political realignment over roughly the past 20 years driven largely by population growth in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Northern Virginia, a trend that has favored Democratic candidates.
January 01, 2005
high
demographic
Population and demographic shifts in suburban Northern Virginia have been a major factor in changing the state's political leanings.
Donald Caldwell has served as Roanoke Commonwealth's Attorney since 1979 and is the longest-tenured Commonwealth's Attorney in Virginia.
January 01, 1979
high
temporal
Tenure length of a named local elected prosecutor in Virginia.
Republican presidential candidates carried Virginia in 10 consecutive presidential elections from 1968 through 2004, while Democratic presidential candidates won Virginia in each presidential election from 2008 through 2024.
January 01, 1968
high
historical
Virginia's presidential voting record shifted from a long Republican streak to a Democratic streak beginning in 2008.
The Virginia governorship has changed party control seven times over the last 60 years, indicating relatively lower party loyalty among Virginia voters for state executive offices.
January 01, 1965
high
political-trend
Frequent party turnover in the governor's office reflects Virginia voters' tendency to split tickets or switch party preference in state-level contests.
Delegates at the Wheeling Convention in western Virginia voted to separate from Virginia, resulting in the creation of the state of West Virginia in June 1863.
June 20, 1863
high
temporal
Civil War–era state formation and internal political realignment within Virginia.
In Virginia, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run for and are elected to their offices separately rather than on a single ticket.
high
procedural
Describes the electoral structure for statewide executive offices in Virginia.
Virginia and New Jersey are among the few U.S. states that hold statewide elections in the year after U.S. presidential elections, and gubernatorial contests held in those off-year cycles are often treated as referenda on the newly elected president.
high
electoral
Explains the timing of statewide elections in Virginia and New Jersey and how those contests are commonly interpreted.
Tim Kaine is a United States Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia.
high
biographical
Identifies elected federal office held.
Winsome Earle-Sears is the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
high
biographical
Current state executive officeholder title.
Abigail Spanberger is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia.
high
biographical
Biographical background of a political candidate.
Virginia is widely considered a politically competitive U.S. state where both the Republican and Democratic parties actively compete for control.
high
contextual
General background on the state's partisan competitiveness used in political reporting and analysis.
Virginia and New Jersey are the only U.S. states that hold gubernatorial elections in the calendar year immediately following a U.S. presidential election.
high
temporal
State election scheduling for gubernatorial contests
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order establishing a bathroom policy that defines bathroom access along biological sex lines.
high
policy
Describes a state executive order setting bathroom access policy.
The Virginia Department of Elections is the state agency that oversees election operations in Virginia, rather than a secretary of the commonwealth serving as the chief election official.
high
administrative
Describes which state government office administers elections in Virginia compared with some other states.
Under Code of Virginia §24.2-612.2, candidates may withdraw from an election at any time, but to have their name removed from the ballot they must withdraw at least 60 days before the election.
high
legal
Statutory rule governing candidate withdrawal and ballot removal timing in Virginia.
Under Code of Virginia §24.2-612.1, if a candidate withdraws after ballots have been printed every county and independent city election office must post notices at polling places and provide notice in mail ballots to inform voters of the withdrawal, and votes cast for a withdrawn candidate are tallied but treated as votes for a withdrawn candidate (not counted for an active candidate)
high
legal
Statutory procedures for handling candidate withdrawal after ballot printing in Virginia.
Virginia allows write-in votes in statewide races such as the attorney general contest, and there have been a handful of successful write-in campaigns in Virginia during the 20th and 21st centuries.
high
electoral
Describes the availability and historical occurrence of write-in victories in Virginia elections.
In Virginia, reckless driving is classified as a misdemeanor that can carry a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine, and license suspension.
high
legal
Statutory maximum penalties for reckless driving in Virginia as described in the article.
Gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey held in the year after a U.S. presidential election are historically closely watched nationally as barometers of voter sentiment toward the party holding the White House.
high
temporal
These off-year gubernatorial elections are used as indicators of national political mood in the cycle following a presidential election.
Virginia's off-year gubernatorial elections are often treated as a referendum on the president elected in the prior year, and historically the president's party has almost always lost those elections.
high
temporal
Historical pattern linking Virginia off-year gubernatorial outcomes to the president elected the previous year.
Virginia has nearly 150,000 federal civilian jobs and is home to a large number of military personnel.
high
statistical
Scale of federal civilian employment and military presence in Virginia.
Donald Trump's share of the statewide vote in Virginia increased from 44% in 2020 to 46.1% in 2024.
high
temporal
Change in Trump's vote share between the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections in Virginia.
Recent political shifts in Virginia have been driven in part by changes in fast-growing suburbs of Washington, D.C., contributing to the state's leftward movement in recent years.
high
trend
Suburban demographic and political changes influencing Virginia's political orientation.
In Virginia, the lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate (the upper chamber) and can wield the gavel during senate proceedings.
high
institutional
Describes the formal presiding role of the lieutenant governor in Virginia's legislative branch.
Ghazala Hashmi is the first South Asian to have served in the Virginia State Senate and the first Muslim elected to statewide office in Virginia.
high
historical
Notable firsts in Virginia political history associated with Ghazala Hashmi.
Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts are U.S. states that are officially designated as 'commonwealths.'
high
descriptive
Terminology used in the official names of certain U.S. states.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were Americans from Virginia who each served as President of the United States.
high
descriptive
Notable historical political figures associated with Virginia.
Virginia is home to over 147,000 government workers, which is the third-highest concentration of government workers of any U.S. state, according to records from the Library of Congress.
high
statistical
State-level count and ranking of government workers by state as recorded by the Library of Congress.
Defamation cases are generally difficult to win in the United States, including in Virginia, because plaintiffs typically must prove elements such as the falsity of statements and the defendant's intent.
high
legal
Describes the legal burdens plaintiffs face in defamation lawsuits.
Virginia has the third-largest concentration of federal workers in the United States, according to the Library of Congress.
high
contextual
Relative concentration of federal employees by state.
Bryce Reeves is a Republican state senator representing Culpeper, Virginia.
high
descriptive
Current elected office held at the state level.