Spanberger vetoes collective bargaining and 31 Democratic bills, breaking with progressive base

Governor Abigail Spanberger, elected on a platform of pragmatic governance, vetoed 31 bills passed by the Democratic-majority Virginia General Assembly in her first session (2025)—an unusually high number for a governor from the same party as the legislature. The Washington Post reported the veto spree has turned many in her own party against her, while VPAP data confirms Spanberger has vetoed more bills than any governor from the same party in modern history. Among the killed measures: SB 789, a historic public-sector collective bargaining bill that would have granted 150,000 state and local employees the right to negotiate wages and conditions, and HB 1234, a long-stalled retail cannabis market that would have generated an estimated $50 million annually in tax revenue (2025 JLARC estimate) and reduced black-market activity. By vetoing SB 789, Spanberger slammed the door on a core worker protection that public employees in Virginia have never had. Unions note the bill was carefully crafted to limit fiscal impact (CBO 2025 estimate: $12 million startup cost, offset by $8 million in annual savings), yet the governor cited unfunded mandates and legal liability. Progressives see this as a capitulation to business interests, not fiscal discipline. The vetoes represent a stark choice: whether Virginia Democrats will deliver on their promises to workers or continue protecting a status quo that leaves public employees without a seat at the table. Any alternative must include passage of a new collective bargaining law, either via a legislative override or a future Democratic governor's signature, coupled with robust worker education and organizing support.