Governor Glenn Youngkin and Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger are clashing publicly for the first time since Spanberger’s election victory — this time over the University of Virginia’s search for a new president.
Spanberger sent a letter to UVA’s Board of Visitors urging the board to halt its presidential selection process until she takes office and can appoint new board members. She argued the current board, appointed entirely by Youngkin, has taken actions over the past six months that have “significantly eroded” public trust and should not select the next president while vacancies remain.
Youngkin quickly fired back in a sharply worded letter accusing Spanberger of attempting to override his administration before taking office. “I am advised that this was likely the first time in the history of our Commonwealth that a Governor-elect attempted to interfere with the governance of a university,” Youngkin wrote, adding that her claims were “riddled with hyperbole and factual errors.”
The governor defended the transparency of the search and urged the board to continue its work, reminding Spanberger that “there is just one Governor of Virginia at a time.”
Spanberger has not yet responded publicly. But former University of Virginia Counsel Tim Heaphy pushed back against Youngkin’s letter, accusing him of misquoting his past statements and mischaracterizing former UVA President Jim Ryan. Heaphy said Youngkin omitted the word “historically” when referencing his remarks about past university programs that violated legal guidelines. He also disputed Youngkin’s claim that Ryan resisted federal law, saying Ryan had emphasized the need to “be meticulous” in ensuring compliance.
Heaphy added: “President Ryan never directed me or others to violate civil rights or any other law.” (RELATED: Rainbow Gun Post Gets Virginia Teacher Suspended — “PUT THE PRONOUNS BACK” Meme Triggers Outrage)
The dispute comes after Ryan stepped down in June following a DOJ civil rights probe into UVA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and accusations he resisted efforts to dismantle them after a board vote in March. (RELATED: With a Campaign Trail Riddled with Racist Innuendos, Abigail Spanberger Notches Out on Top)
As of publication, neither the UVA Board of Visitors nor Youngkin’s administration has indicated whether the search process will pause. Spanberger will be inaugurated in January 2026 after defeating Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in a contentious race marked by accusations of racial tension and partisan escalation.