Democrats Block Youngkin Appointees as Spanberger Nears Office

Democrat Committee Rejects Youngkin Appointees As Spanberger Nears Office

Senate Democrats Blocked Appointees From Being Voted On By Rejecting them in Senate

Published November 20, 2025

Monday, the Virginian Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling that allows Senate Democrats to vote down the university’s Presidential appointee after an August vote where Virginian Senate Democrats voted down Governor Youngkins’ appointments for Presidents at various state universities, including UVA. Senate Democrats have blocked over 20 appointees.

In the case, the court declined to hear the appeal of an injunction that found the General Assembly’s Senate Democrats had the power to block appointments made by Glenn Youngkin to the boards of institutions like University of Virginia, George Mason University, and Virginia Military Institute.

Governor Youngkin rightly noted he was “disappointed” that the court wouldn’t decide whether one committee could unilaterally reject “incredibly qualified public servants” nominated to serve Virginia’s universities. (RELATED: A Piece Of Virginia’s Past Comes Home For Its Next Chapter)

🚨BREAKING: The Supreme Court of Virginia refused the "refused the petition for review" regarding interlocutory appeal filed by the Virginia Attorney General regarding BOV members at UVA, VMI, and GMU.

The appeal was in response to preliminary injunction granted by the Fairfax… pic.twitter.com/SdKOg9yqhv
— The Jefferson Council (@TheJeffersonC) November 17, 2025

Youngkin has not made any new appointments to the boards since the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee blocked his round of appointments in August. The appointees were shot down unilaterally by one committee and were not voted on by the whole Senate.

“The Supreme Court of Virginia has refused to decide whether or not one committee of one chamber in the General Assembly can unilaterally … remove incredibly qualified public servants who have been serving Virginia’s higher education institutions admirably for months,” Youngkin said.

Abigail Spanberger, the governor-elect, sent a letter to the UVA Board urging a halt to its presidential search until she takes office and can fill vacancies, an unprecedented action that threatens to sideline Youngkin while he’s still in office.

Spanberger plans to use her incoming governorship to reshape university leadership, restore politicized agendas, including far-left DEI priorities. (RELATED: Governor Glenn Youngkin At Odds With Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger)

The decision Monday means that vacancies will remain unfilled on university governing boards. Likely until next year when Democrat Governor-elect Spanberger takes office.