The votes have barely been counted for the 2024 election, but Virginia politicos are already turning attention to 2025 and the chance for a historic election.

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R) and Representative Abigail Spanberger have emerged as front runners for their party’s nominations for Governor. Either candidate would be the commonwealth’s first female governor while Earle-Sears would also be the state’s first black female governor.

Winsome-Sears would be particularly historic since there have only been five African Americans to serve as state Governors anywhere in the country and only four since Reconstruction. Republican Pinckney Pinchback of Louisiana was the first African American to serve as Governor of any state. He lasted only a few months from 1872-1873 as acting Governor amidst a tumultuous political season that saw deaths, impeachments, and contested elections.

Virginian Douglas Wilder became the first African American elected to serve as Governor in any American State from 1990-1994. Since then, Massachusetts, New Yok, and Maryland have all had African American governors, but no state has ever had an African American female in that leadership post.

Recently, women have competed for the top seat at party conventions, but no woman has secured the nomination for Virginia’s Governor since 1993 when Attorney General Mary Sue Terry lost to Republican George Allen by 17 points.

With the potential for a history-making election cycle, pundits are noting how both parties seem to be clearing the way for Earle-Sears and Spanberger to take the lead of their respective parties. Virginia Governor Youngkin has already endorsed Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced he will not seek the Governor’s Mansion and instead seek reelection.

“It is really significant that not only are there going to be two women running but that both parties seem to be kind of clearing the field for them, which we have not necessarily seen,” said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. 

Youngkin was the first Republican to win statewide election since 2009. Spanberger and Earle-Sears were tied in the first statewide poll pitting them against each other.

Three Democrats have announced their runs for Lt. Governor: State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William County School Board Chairman Babur Lateef and State Sen. Aaron Rouse and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Republican radio host John Reid is considering running for the seat.