Abigail Anne Spanberger[1] (ne Davis, August 7, 1979) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Virginia's 7th congressional district since 2019. [76], 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia District 7, 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia District 7, 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia District 7, Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation, Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment, 2019 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church, Women in the United States House of Representatives, "Abigail Spanberger's passion for languages led her to the CIA", "Virginia Election Results: Seventh Congressional District", "Spanberger narrowly defeats GOP challenger in closely watched House race in Virginia", "Candidate Conversation - Abigail Spanberger (D)", "Saudi School Dominates TV Ads in Race for Suburban Richmond Congressional Seat", "This former CIA officer says she can beat Virginia Rep. Dave Brat", "Former CIA Officer Abigail Spanberger is on a mission for Virginia's 7th District", Who are they? Subscribe to receive news alerts and updates on issues important to you and your family. She's since won two more close races and been raised as a possible candidate for Virginia governor. [19] While Brat won eight of the district's ten counties, Spanberger dominated the two largest counties, Henrico and Chesterfield, by a combined margin of over 30,000 votes. The Climate Crisis Democrats strongly believe in our responsibility to serve as stewards of our environment and public lands for current and future generations "I think he's the most progressive president we've had in a long time," she added. Brat shocked the nation when he defeated sitting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the Republican primary in 2014. Even so, Jones father went on to serve in the Marines during the Vietnam War. [43], Spanberger has called for the passage of the USMCA trade deal negotiated between the Trump administration, Mexico, and Canada. That's especially true now as lawmakers demand answers about classified documents found in the private possession of two presidents and the Biden administration's response to a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Proudly Serving Virginias Seventh District. So don't feel sorry for don't cry for me, Argentina. She said she does not support "sanctuary cities" but also called the term "a campaign slogan a lot of people get caught up in." Abigail Spanberger spent almost a decade as a CIA operations officer. Virginians deserve strong access to quality, affordable health insurance, and Rep. Spanberger is fighting to expand healthcare coverage for everyone. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Mike Waltz (R-FL-06), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-05) today introduced bipartisan legislation to increase transparency in the federal student loan process and to give borrowers additional tools to understand and decrease [], At Least 519 Protesters Have Been Killed by the Regime & More Than 19,000 Iranians Have Been Arrested Since the Death of Mahsa Amini In September 2022 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger joined a bipartisan, bicameral effort urging the Biden Administration to impose stricter sanctions against members of the Iranian Parliament or [], Proudly Serving Virginias Seventh District. Even before the attack [], Bipartisan Bill Would Give Borrowers Regular, Pertinent Information Related to Projected Payments, Accrued Interest, & Other Personalized Details WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. What's happening: Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) is calling out leadership for not bringing her legislation that would ban members of Congress along with their family members from buying,. Spanberger, the daughter of a federal law enforcement officer, worked as an investigator with the U.S. We can't let that happen.". Spanberger also co-sponsored the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which grants Medicare Part D the power to negotiate prescription prices directly with drug companies. [8] She said she gathered intelligence about nuclear proliferation and terrorism. Allies She attended John Randolph Tucker High School. Addressing the Opioid Abuse & Addiction Epidemic "No, no. 11/11/22 3:30 PM ET News Five midterm surprises in the House She doesn't get overwhelmed by stuff.. I talk in broad brush terms about what it is that I did, because thats all I am permitted to do There are at times when I say I wish I could talk about something in a little bit more detail, but thats just never a path that Ill go down, she explained. Spanberger has said she thinks the Democratic Party needs new leaders and that she would not back Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California, as the next Speaker of the House if Democrats won the majority. Postal Inspection Service before becoming a CIA officer focused on counterterrorism. She added that it "degrades the value of the conversation if we're not actually talking about what the real concern is. After serving in CIA, lawmaker now has role overseeing it. ", Before President George W. Bush was mangling the English language, it was his father, President George H.W. I have been practicing. I know because I wrote up those reports you know, theres fighting with these two factions and this is what it means.'. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Send GMA your Why It Matters video about which issues inspires you to vote. Prince William County supervisor and former law enforcement officer Yesli Vega defeated five GOP opponents on her way to a tight 29-24-20 percent victory spread. But I have never had this much fun on the Hill as Im having now., The Source for news on Capitol Hill since 1955. [50], As of June 2022, Spanberger had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time. And now we're having wonderful conversations about how to help the American people in their day-to-day lives. Also, aides for any relevant committees, leadership offices, campaign committees and leadership PACs will not be included here, nor do we have data for unpaid staff such as interns or people who are "detailed" from the GAO, executive branch or private sector. "[43] During a Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting in 2019, Spanberger asked the Trump administration to reverse its isolationist policies, saying, "its in [the US's] national interest to reinforce our stature as a global leader on international environmental and energy issues. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Here are 4 things they say about the economy, Coming up on Connections: Friday, March 3, 2023, Ukraine is dominating the election in Estonia, a key NATO ally. You have to think of multiple levels; you have to be very strategic. If anything, being a Republican target means youve got to be more collaborative than a lot of other offices, he added. Spanbergers career took her around the globe. Their hope: flip the handful of seats needed to regain control of the chamber next year. Abigail grew up in Henrico County. She began her career of public service as a federal law enforcement officer working narcotics and money laundering cases with the U.S. Abigail Spanberger spoke with voters at a campaign event in June in Midlothian, . Bipartisan duo Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, reintroduced the TRUST in Congress Act to ban representatives from trading in the stock market. The Virginia Democrat and former CIA officer won reelection in a race that was considered a toss-up. [11], In July 2017, Spanberger announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Virginia's 7th congressional district in the 2018 election against incumbent Republican Dave Brat, a Tea Party movement member. Spanberger defeated Brat in 2018. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., arrives as Democrats hold elections for their new leadership for the next Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Nov. 30, 2022. The Virginia mother of three told Good Morning America during a sit-down interview in her kitchen this summer that she always had a desire to serve her country, an interest in government, and a love of languages. [52], Spanberger supports banning members of Congress from trading stocks. I really started getting more politically involved after the 2016 election, watching how partisan and how angry our political conversations became, she said. After years of working for an incumbent senator holding a safe seat, Roscoe Jones Jr. was ready to build something from scratch. "As a former CIA officer who worked terrorism cases, I find it particularly disgraceful that they would try and make that some sort of leap or claim when I was in fact a long-term substitute teacher for a bunch of kids, she said in response. [52], In January 2020, Spanberger sponsored the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act, which passed the House unanimously. ", She underscored: "One thing that's been really nice this session is there's just tremendous unity.". Biden's cuts to Medicare Advantage will cost seniors hundreds more per year, but Abigail Spanberger is silent. Shes spoken to too many families who have lost loved ones to addiction and overdose. It was watching that example that led me to decide that I too wanted to step forward and run.. Copyright 2023 NPR. Spanberger's chief of staff says House is like a startup Roscoe Jones Jr. relishes chamber's "fast pace" after move from the Senate Roscoe Jones Jr. compares his move from Senate aide to House. Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger told CNN Friday morning that she spoke with Klain twice in the last two days to discuss the shortage, saying that Klain told her the White House views . Even before the attack [], Bipartisan Bill Would Give Borrowers Regular, Pertinent Information Related to Projected Payments, Accrued Interest, & Other Personalized Details WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Congresswoman: They Ran to the Sound of the Guns WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Two Eau Claire natives, sisters Abigail and Rachel Rindo, have been working in the video game industry for a combined 17 years and now work for some of the biggest names in the business. [50] In November 2020, she described reducing the cost of prescription drugs as "the top priority of families in [her] district". "As we start to see more shovels in the ground, as we start to see more cranes in the air, we can start to point to that and say, 'Hey, that's what Democrats did for you,' " she said. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Marc Polymeropoulos, a fellow former operations officer who retired after suffering symptoms consistent with Havana syndrome, says Spanberger brings an insider's knowledge of the challenges faced by the CIA and other agencies. She argued that Democrats should watch Republican ads before deciding how to talk about issues and "not ever use the word 'socialist' or 'socialism' ever again". "[31] Downie quoted progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who had noted that no swing-district House Democrat who co-sponsored Medicare for All lost their seat, and had remarked in response to Spanberger's comments that "not a single member of Congress that I'm aware of campaigned on socialism or defunding the police in this general election. Fool me you can't get fooled again.. "In its attempt to balance safety from contaminated product and safe infant development through formula access, FDA is achieving neither objective," Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) wrote in a recent letter criticizing both the FDA's oversight efforts and its "near-shutdown" of facilities. We discussed all possible avenues for getting formula back on the shelves so that parents who rely on it as I did to feed my three daughters know they will be able to feed their babies. [43], Spanberger voted to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be notified when undocumented immigrants attempt to purchase firearms, and voted against the House budget in summer 2019 because it failed to acknowledge the growing national debt. "Most of the intelligence community doesn't understand Congress and most of Congress doesn't understand the intelligence community.. She formerly produced the NPR Politics Podcast and got her start in radio at as an intern on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered and Tell Me More with Michel Martin. To ensure our communities stay protected, Rep. Spanberger is fighting to reaffirm the importance of our countrys relationships with its key allies, including member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). I will always love the Senate, Jones said. Thank you for visiting my campaign website. . Those did not trickle down to employees.. President Biden and House Democrats are mounting a full-court press to take their legislative record on the road and into districts across the country to remind voters of what they've already accomplished. "It's by working together, having Cabinet members and officials from the government come to our districts.". I've committed adultery in my heart many times. "As a former CIA officer, I know this playbook, and I know the president's actions are betraying the very foundation of the rule of law he purports to support, the U.S. Constitution", she said. Spanberger faced a close reelection contest against State Delegate Nick Freitas, who represents much of the congressional district's northern portion. To see staff salaries for aides in the personal office of Rep. Abigail Spanberger, select a time period below. "We were right in the midst of one of the more challenging political debates and discussions about strategy and timing," Kuster said. At the top in all caps are the words "President Joe Biden.". When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), a former CIA case officer and one of a bevy of national security-savvy freshmen Democrats, took to the House floor last Tuesday as part of a bipartisan group. Trading in his role as Dianne Feinsteins legislative director, he moved over to the House, accepting a job as chief of staff for newcomer Abigail Spanberger. . She defeated Yesli Vega, an. Abigail Rindo at King. [63], On June 1, 2020, Spanberger tweeted criticism of Trump's reaction to the George Floyd protests, a series of protests against police brutality that began in Minneapolis on May 26. "As a former intelligence officer, I know that countries are watching us. But Im sure there will be points of frustration probably for me and for them, frankly speaking.. Spanbergers chief of staff says House is like a startup, Roscoe Jones Jr. relishes chambers fast pace after move from the Senate. [43] She supports a public option for healthcare via the proposed Medicare-X Choice Act. Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the group is preparing an "executive action agenda" to present to the president following their own retreat. "I am already seeing a number of my Republican colleagues who voted against these historic pieces of legislation want to claim credit. Abigail Anne Spanberger (ne Davis, August 7, 1979) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Virginia's 7th congressional district since 2019. This is the intersection of law, policy and politics, he said. [30] Spanberger's remarks were disputed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who noted that Democrats kept the House, and progressive Representative Rashida Tlaib, who said the Democratic Party should "study the results" before dismissing progressives who represent their districts. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Trent Kelly (R-MS-01) today introduced bipartisan legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Americans who served in World War II with the Canadian and British militaries prior to Americas declaration of war. "You tell us what you need to help us understand the impact that it's having on all of your district and your folks, and we're going to get it done," Biden said. A vote for my opponent will be a vote for the Nancy Pelosi liberal agenda, he said. Here's what to watch, Monroe County names new chief diversity officer, Consumer advocates and environmentalists try to block RG&E, NYSEG rate increases, City to spend COVID relief dollars to replace ozone-depleting ice machinery at BlueCross Arena, Muler parties like it's 2003 on melodic, moody new album 'Get Well', CHOW HOUND: What's happening in Rochester's dining scene. "I know the lingo. [64][65][66] Spanberger took issue with Trump after police used tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors and a priest during the George Floyd protests to clear a path so that he could have a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. Two former CIA officers, Abigail Spanberger and Elissa Slotkin, won reelection on Tuesday night, while anti-CIA candidate Geoff Young was defeated in Kentucky's 6 th district.. Spanberger, a Democrat, defeated her Republican challenger Yesli Vega with 51.9 percent of the vote in Virginia's 7th district, while . She's trustworthy, said Hurd, who left Congress after the 2020 election. "[56], She described the Green New Deal proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a "bold compilation of ideas meant to address global climate change" but criticized it for allegedly including unrelated policy proposals and not identifying specific resolutions to the problems that it identifies. Abigail Spanberger has always served her country and community. I take my commitment to protecting the people who are still doing the job that I once did and the foreign nationals who are risking their lives as well to provide information the U.S. government very seriously.. Expanding Access to Affordable Healthcare Coverage Spanberger knows of what she speaks. Submitted Comments (Click here for meetings with SEC officials) Comments have been received from individuals and entities using the following Letter Type A: 31 B: 24 C: 6,254 D: 5 I was able to get involved in those races and watch really great people step forward and stand up for what they believe in and want to be a part of the political process, Spanberger said. 30th July, 2021. [68], In a November 2021 interview with the New York Times, Spanberger criticized Biden after the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election, saying, "Nobody elected him to be F.D.R., they elected him to be normal and stop the chaos. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Obama told this unfortunate joke about his bowling skills during an appearance on The Tonight Show in 2009. On November 5, days after winning reelection by a margin of 1.8%,[27] Spanberger criticized the Democratic Party's strategy for the 2020 elections in a phone call with other Democratic caucus members that was subsequently leaked. [28] Calling the elections "a failure" from a congressional standpoint, she singled out Republican attack ads decrying "socialism" and the movement to "defund the police" as prime reasons the Democratic Party lost seats in swing districts. Now, shes a third-term Virginia congresswoman who was just named to one of two committees that oversees the work of U.S. spy agencies. President Jimmy Carter made a nation cringe when he told Playboy magazine: "I've looked on a lot of women with lust. President Barack Obama is highly regarded as an orator, but he sometimes stumbles when he veers away from the Teleprompter. Spanberger, who spent years in law enforcement herself, offered a model on how to do that in a recent half-day tour that demonstrated her support for the Culpeper Police Department speaking to. They wrote that if the allegations were true, they amounted to "a flagrant disregard for the law" and "a threat to all we have sworn to protect. examining federal efforts to prevent, detect, and prosecute pandemic relief fraud to safeguard funds for all eligible americans A few years later, during the 2016 presidential election, she started to discuss with her friends the possibility of running for office. Jones doesnt let the tough reelection fight thats already brewing for Spanberger back home faze him, even as his team is still settling in at the Capitol. She rejects talk of a deep state and called on other lawmakers not to promote conspiracy theories about intelligence or the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. United States Won re-election with a 1.82% margin, outperforming Vice President Biden. Charlotte McWilliams met Spanberger when they were trainee officers before going to the CIA's academy in rural Virginia known as The Farm. They were both sent on to overseas postings Spanberger in Europe, McWilliams in Africa and bonded over their shared experiences doing clandestine work while becoming new mothers at the same time. Abigail Rindo is the narrative design director at King, the company behind popular mobile game franchises such as Candy Crush, Farm . It gave me chills. In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Joe Pounder, the chief executive of America Rising, said, "America Rising . How many more do you need to look at?, Gerald Ford once said: If Lincoln were alive today, hed roll over in his grave., Abigail Spanberger spent almost a decade as a CIA operations officer. In February 2022 Chesterfield mother Shannon Davis and her son, Joshua, appeared with President Joe Biden and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, R-7th, in Culpeper to urge lower prescription drug prices . That came after a job in the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and a stint as a federal prosecutor. Abigail Spanberger Spanberger, a mother of three school-aged girls, has been juggling homeschooling, protecting her family from Covid-19, and protecting her district from the pandemic.. It may not be having the Cabinet or the president in your district every other week," New Hampshire Rep. Ann Kuster told NPR. Lowering Prescription Drug Costs [10] In 2017, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed her to the Virginia Fair Housing Board. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The security clearance form listed another one of Spanbergers former jobs as a substitute English teacher at a Saudi Arabia embassy school. She supports universal coverage through the adoption of a public option and, in Congress, she advocates for solutions that achieve real progress, respond to the unique challenges of Virginias rural communities, support the Commonwealths expansion of Medicaid coverage, and preserve funding for critical programs like the Childrens Health Insurance Plan. We live in a stream of history.. Rep. Spanberger supports a national response that invests in preventing overdoses, expanding access to treatment, and supporting individuals in recovery from addiction as they seek to reclaim their health and well-being. In 2017, a record number of women won in local elections in Virginia, making the state one of the first to experience and reflect a wave of energy among Democrats, female voters and female candidates in the country. [53] She has introduced legislation that would require lawmakers, as well as their spouses and dependent children, to place assets in a blind trust while in office. Rep. Spanberger knows that the United States today faces many foreign threats from its adversaries, and she believes that a strong diplomatic presence is a core component of our national security and must not be lessened or ignored. It still does.. In 2018, she became the first Democrat since 1968 to be elected to represent Virginias 7th Congressional district. [25] She was also boosted by Joe Biden narrowly carrying the district;[26] Biden is the first Democrat to win what is now the 7th since 1948. She is a member of the Democratic Party. "How do you make that real; how do you tell that story?" Spanberger was a postal inspector before joining the CIA in 2006. Abigail Spanberger, a congressional candidate, had a 12-year career with the CIA. [17], In August, the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC closely aligned with Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, conducted a smear campaign against Spanberger. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester speaks with Rep. Abigail Spanberger ahead of President Biden's speech during the annual House Democrats Issues Conference in Baltimore, Md. Posted December 6, 2022 at 5:16pm. In 2017, three local state seats within Spanbergers own congressional district flipped from Republican to Democrat and some of the volunteers making phone calls and sending letters in her campaign offices described volunteering on local races in 2017 and then heading straight into helping Spanberger next. The two also sparred over issues like the recent Republican tax reform law. Vice-Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and other members of the Problem Solvers Caucus hold a news conference to show support for their bipartisan infrastructure bill, which was written by both Democrat and Republican senators and representatives at the US Capitol in Washington, DC., on Friday, July 30 . Spanberger, a former CIA case officer who unseated former Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA) in 2018, has been in a heated battle to retain her swing seat, with nonpartisan handicapper Cook Political Report. By Lindsey McPherson. Miles Taylor, Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2019) (Forward) Christine Todd Whitman, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (2001-2003) and Governor of New Jersey (1994-2001) (Forward) Rep. Spanberger supports giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, so that more senior citizens in the Commonwealth do not have to choose between putting food on the table or affording their life-saving medications. Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, who's being targeted by the GOP as she runs for re-election in a competitive district, spotlights her efforts to lower gas prices.