The state is one of two in 2025, along with New Jersey, that will hold critical elections during the off-year. Virginia is expected to be the more competitive of the two states. The DNC said the investment “is one of the largest and earliest initial investments the DNC has ever made to the Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign in an off-year election cycle.”

“Donald Trump and Virginia Republicans have betrayed the commonwealth,” DNC chairman Ken Martin said in a statement.

“From Elon Musk destroying the livelihoods of thousands of Virginians through DOGE, to Donald Trump and Virginia Republicans kicking 323,000 Virginians off their health insurance, to Glenn Youngkin and state Republicans leading Virginia to fall in the rankings of the top states for business, Republicans have utterly failed the commonwealth,” he added. “This investment will aid strong Democratic leaders like Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones and turbocharge organizing efforts while building Democratic infrastructure that will help support Democratic victories all across the ballot.” 

The money will go toward helping to hire organizers and other staff, funding “early persuasion” programs designed to shift voters, and to test “new tactics and tools to ensure our message is resonating with voters across the commonwealth.” The DNC is also hoping to expand its reach among minority groups like black, Latino, and AAPI voters, whom they lost ground with in the 2024 elections.

“The DNC’s investment will help us reach every corner of the Commonwealth with a clear message: Democrats are fighting back against Donald Trump’s reckless and extreme agenda. As he attacks our jobs, tanks our economy, and attempts to dismantle our public schools, the only leaders who are standing up for Virginians are Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, Jay Jones, and our 100 House of Delegates nominees,” Democratic Party of Virginia chairman Lamont Bagby said in a statement. “They are the firewall Virginia needs, and with the continued support of our partners, we’re ready to win.” 

Most of the attention will turn to the state’s gubernatorial race between former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Some view the race as a barometer for voters’ feelings about President Donald Trump. Virginia could retaliate against the administration if the federal government employees who live in the state, many of whom were fired or laid off due to the administration’s cost-saving efforts, vote for Democrats.

As the state prevents its governor from running for consecutive terms, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) was not eligible for reelection, opening the state up to a more likely Democratic flip.

There’s concern about Earle-Sears competing with Spanberger. She has fundraised about $9.1 million, compared to Spanberger’s $22.2 million, and has made controversial statements such as her condemnation of DEI, saying, “Slaves did not die in the fields so that we could call ourselves victims now in 2025.”

“A lot of the traditional financial supporters in the business community are not yet convinced that Sears can win, and they’re not going to give her money until they are,” former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling told the New York Times. “A lot of them don’t view her as a serious candidate.”

Earle-Sears’s office is also up for grabs, along with the attorney general position and dozens of House of Delegates seats. Republican radio host John Reid is running against Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi for lieutenant governor, and Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is running for reelection against Democrat Jay Jones.

Democrats currently have a three-seat majority in the House of Delegates. Republicans held the chamber for two decades until Democrats captured two out of the last three election cycles.

Republicans have had their share of spending in Virginia, too.

REPUBLICAN GROUP DUMPS $2 MILLION INTO VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE

The Washington Examiner exclusively reported last week that the Republican Attorneys General Association is pouring $2 million into the Virginia attorney general race between Miyares and Jones.

Miyares likely remains the best shot at retaining a statewide office after the 2025 elections, as he’s the only Republican incumbent running for statewide reelection.