The Virginia Democrat’s announcement came the same day her dismal approval rating was revealed
Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger (D.) took credit for over $7.1 billion in business investments to the Old Dominion—investments that were actually secured by her Republican predecessor, Glenn Youngkin.
Spanberger’s Monday announcement listed four bipartisan bills she signed that detail the capital investments from Avio USA, Hitachi Energy, Eli Lilly, and AstraZeneca, which involve building new facilities and will bring more than 3,200 jobs building rocket motors, producing critical electrical grid infrastructure, and manufacturing pharmaceuticals. The legislation provides financial incentives for each company.
“From my very first day in office, I have been working to create a stable business environment so companies can hire, expand, and continue to invest in our Commonwealth,” Spanberger said in the announcement. “Attracting new businesses and jobs to Virginia is a core focus of my administration — and I’m proud of the hundreds of millions of dollars in investment we have already announced this year.”
All four companies, however, announced their forthcoming investments last year while Youngkin was governor, as reporter Nick Minock of 7News DC first noted in a Wednesday X post. All four companies also included quotes from Youngkin when announcing the investments in 2025. AstraZeneca’s CEO specifically thanked “Governor Youngkin and his team for their energy and vision,” saying the company “found in Virginia an amazing team that moves at incredible speed to build a better future for this Commonwealth and the American people.” Hitachi said its new Virginia facility came “with the support of Governor Youngkin” as well as “the Trump Administration’s White House AI Action Plan.” Hitachi, Eli Lilly, and AstraZeneca announced their investments before Spanberger won in November.
Youngkin spokesman Justin Discigil told the Washington Free Beacon that the former governor is grateful his state continues to reap the rewards of his tenure, even if he doesn’t get credit.
“The last three months have been nothing but horrible news for Virginians as Abigail Spanberger broke every single promise she made on the campaign trail,” Discigil said. “Governor Youngkin is happy that Virginians are being reminded of some good news, even if it means Gov. Spanberger taking credit for the economic deals he secured for the Commonwealth.”
Spanberger, who did not respond to a request for comment, touted the investments the same day a Washington Post-Schar School poll put her approval rating at 47 percent—13 percentage points below the average for Virginia governors in Post polling since the 1990s—with 46 percent disapproving. She also said Monday that she looks forward to “continuing to work with legislators, local communities, and business leaders as we make clear that Virginia is the top state in the nation to grow or start a business,” but voters apparently aren’t buying her messaging. A plurality—41 percent—also said her policies would make Virginia less affordable, according to the Post survey.
Spanberger campaigned on affordability and billed herself as a moderate during her gubernatorial bid, but quickly took a left turn after taking office. In early February, she ordered Virginia’s law enforcement agencies to dissolve any partnerships with federal immigration enforcement. The next day, she signed a salvo of bills proposing constitutional amendments on abortion, voting rights for felons, same-sex marriage, and partisan redistricting efforts. The map Spanberger approved—which will go before voters on April 21—would shift Democrats’ 6-5 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation to 10-1.
AstraZeneca didn’t provide a comment, but pointed the Free Beacon to its original October announcement detailing its $4.5 billion investment, which will include a new facility to manufacture medications, including cancer treatments.
Eli Lilly, Hitachi, and Avio did not respond to requests for comment. Those investments include, respectively, $2 billion and 450 jobs to manufacture pharmaceutical ingredients for cancer, autoimmune, and other therapies; $457 million and 825 jobs producing critical electrical grid infrastructure; and $537 million and 1,500 jobs building solid rocket motors for the defense, tactile propulsion, missile systems, and commercial space sectors.
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