EXCLUSIVE: Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears of Virginia could make history next year as the nation's first Black woman to win election as a governor.

She would also make history as Virginia's first female governor.

But Sears, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital, emphasized that "I'm not really running to make history. I'm just trying to, as I've said before, leave it better than I found it, and I want everyone to have the same opportunities I had."

Sears, who was born in the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. as a six-year-old, served in the Marines and is a former state lawmaker. She made history three years ago when she won election as Virginia's first female lieutenant governor. 

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"You've got to remember that my father came to America in ‘63 just 17 days before Dr. King gave his ’I Have a Dream speech,' she said.

Sears noted that her father "saw opportunity here, even though . . . you really couldn't, as a Black person, live where you wanted."

"And yet, here I am, here I am sitting right now as second in command in the former capital of the Confederate States," she said. "With me, we can see once again, there are still opportunities, still opportunities to grow, still opportunities to do even better. We are going to be better, not bitter. We're not going to be victims. We're overcomers."

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Sears has a major supporter in popular Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who three years ago became the first Republican in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in Virginia, a onetime key swing state that had shaded blue in recent cycles.

But Virginia is unique due to its state law preventing governors from serving two consecutive four-year terms, so Youngkin cannot run for re-election next year.

Youngkin told Fox News Digital last month that Sears "is going to be a fabulous governor of Virginia."

"I have to make sure that we have Winsome Sears as our next governor," he emphasized. "I’m going to be campaigning hard."

Making the case that Youngkin as a "successful businessman" has "brought that success to government," Sears highlighted that "we want to continue what he has begun."

"There's still much work to do, still regulations that we've got to get rid of, still educational opportunities that are needing to be taken advantage of, and I am the one to carry that, because I've been part of that," she added.

Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial elections in the year after a presidential election. Because of that, both contests receive outsized national attention, and Virginia in particular is often seen as a bellwether of the national political climate and how Americans feel about the party in the White House.

Sears was interviewed in Virginia Beach on Thursday, with a month to go until President-elect Trump returns to the White House.

In late 2022, she described Trump as a liability after Republican candidates that the then-former president had backed underperformed in the midterm elections. And she said that she would remain neutral in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.

"I supported him in ‘16 and in ’20 why? Because I saw that he was good for our country," Sears noted.

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But she added that Trump "said some things, and it bothered me. And as I said, I come at this as a Christian. And so I figured, well, let's see if there's somebody else."

Sears pointed to July's attempted assassination of Trump as the moment that changed her mind.

"I was waiting to hear a change, and after he was shot and he was accepting the nomination, I heard him say, ‘miracles are happening every day. I am one of those. God has spared my life. And so, I humbly ask for your vote.’ I was on board right then," she emphasized.

But a top Trump supporter in Virginia, conservative radio host John Fredericks, has continued to criticize Sears.

"She’ll ruin Republicans' chances in Virginia in 2025, and we need a different GOP candidate that REALLY has President Trump’s back," he argued last month on his radio program and in a social media post.

Asked whether she'd like Trump to campaign with her over the next 10 months leading up to the 2025 election, Sears said, "I think he's going to be having a lot to do in, well, in D.C. And if he wants to come here, fine. If he wants to help, fine. I mean, you know, we could use all the help that we can get."

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Sears, who launched her gubernatorial bid in early September, avoided a competitive primary when Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares announced last month that he would seek re-election rather than run for governor.

Three-term Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer, is her party's candidate for governor.

Spanberger announced 13 months ago that she would run for governor in 2025 rather than seek congressional re-election this year. While a Sears-Spanberger general election showdown is expected, recent reports indicate longtime Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott is mulling a gubernatorial run.

"We will see what shakes out on the Democrat side, but I will face whoever comes, because I believe that we have the better policies," Sears said.

She is viewed by political pundits as more socially conservative than Youngkin, who hailed from the GOP's business wing.

Asked whether Sears was too far to the right for Virginia voters, Youngkin pushed back in his Fox News Digital interview, saying, "Not at all. And Winsome is a commonsense conservative leader. We have been partners literally from day one. We campaigned together. We were elected together. We have governed together."

But the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), pointing to the criticism from Fredericks, who chaired Trump's Virginia campaign in 2016 and 2020, argued that "Virginia Republicans are kicking off the 2025 election divided and already publicly calling out Winsome Sears."

"This once again confirms that Sears will have to run even further to the right and take deeply harmful and out-of-touch positions to win the GOP nomination," DGA national press secretary Devon Cruz claimed.

Sears, asked about the DGA criticism, which also includes spotlighting her stances on issues such as abortion and IVF, argued that "the Democrats are trying to figure out a way to hit me . . . I don't worry about it. I let them say what they want to say. I am proven, proven to do the right thing."

"I've always said I'm a Christian first and a Republican second. That's always who I am," she added. "So, it must mean that I don't care about politics. I care about serving."

An appearance by Pete Buttigieg on Friday morning on New Hampshire talk radio is fueling ongoing speculation that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in President Biden's administration may be mulling another White House run in 2028.

Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who is considered a potential contender for the next nomination race, has made numerous radio appearances across the country during his four years steering the Department of Transportation, including a bunch in New Hampshire, which prides itself on being the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state.

But with President-elect Trump a month away from returning to the White House, and Democrats scrambling in the wake of November's election setbacks to find a path out of the political wilderness, Buttigieg's latest radio appearance in New Hampshire is grabbing increased attention as the extremely early preseason moves in the party's 2028 presidential primary race will soon start.

And the guest segment by Buttigieg on the statewide morning news-talk radio program "New Hampshire Today" is bound to spark more 2028 speculation.

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"The only thing I'm sure is next is a little vacation," Buttigieg said when asked by host Chris Ryan about his plans once his tenure as transportation secretary sunsets on Jan. 20.

Buttigieg said he and his spouse, Chasten, "are ready to spend a little time together. I'm ready to be around our three-year-old twins a little more, and I'm determined not to make any life decisions too quickly in the new year."

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"But I will find ways to make myself useful, and maybe that's running for office, and maybe that's not. I'll take the next few weeks and months to work through that," Buttigieg shared.

And he emphasized that "I know what I care about. I care about how communities, like the place where I grew up, find a better future. I care about how to make sure technology makes us all better off and not worse off. I care about how the infrastructure issues and opportunities I've worked on can develop. I care about public service. I care about our democracy, and I will find ways to work on that, whatever shape that might take."

Buttigieg, a former naval intelligence officer who deployed to the war in Afghanistan and who served eight years as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was a longshot when he launched his 2020 presidential campaign. 

But his campaign caught fire, and he narrowly edged Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to win the Iowa caucuses before coming in close second to Sanders in the New Hampshire presidential primary. But Buttigieg, along with the rest of the Democratic field, dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden as the former vice president won the South Carolina primary in a landslide, swept the Super Tuesday contests and eventually clinched the nomination before winning the White House.

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During his tenure as Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg has made a handful of official visits to New Hampshire, most recently earlier this year. And two years ago, in a political trip, he headlined the New Hampshire Democratic Party's major autumn fundraising gala.

Asked in the interview whether he'll be returning to the Granite State in the near future, he quipped, "I'm sure I'll turn up before too long."

Buttigieg, in recent years, has also made regular appearances on the Fox News Channel to highlight the Biden administration's efforts. This year, he served as a high-profile surrogate on Fox News and elsewhere across the media landscape for Biden, and later for Vice President Kamala Harris, on the campaign trail.

After his 2020 presidential campaign, Buttiegieg moved from red-state Indiana to neighboring Michigan, which is a key battleground, and now calls Traverse City, Michigan, home.

In recent weeks, Buttigieg has fielded calls by some Michigan Democrats urging him to consider a 2026 run for governor, to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited.

"I haven’t made any decisions about, big decisions about my future," Buttigieg told reporters earlier this month in Detroit, in a line that he would repeat in this week's New Hampshire radio interview.

As Democrats hope to retain the governor’s seat in the swing state of Michigan with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer term-limited, a top Democratic figure has launched an independent bid, leading to a search on the left for an alternative standard-bearer.

Three-term Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, viewed for some time as very likely to seek the governor’s office, reportedly surprised the state’s body politic by announcing he will do so as an independent.

"I went to Lansing and built relationships with Democrats and Republicans. We took our neighborhoods out of the darkness of burned-out streetlights and we lit the entire city to the national standard… and reduced Detroit's unemployment rate to its lowest rate in more than 30 years," Duggan said in his campaign launch video.

"The current system forces people to choose sides that find solutions. I want to see if I can change that."

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He struck a similar tone in recent remarks to reporters:

Duggan said in his final year as mayor he wants to "establish a working relationship with the Trump administration," and noted he had done so with fellow Motor City native HUD Secretary Ben Carson one term prior.

He also told The Associated Press he views many Americans as being "tired of both parties and tired of the system – and so I want to offer people a choice."

That choice led Democrats to reportedly pivot to a prominent Indiana native who recently moved north to his husband’s home state.

At an event with Detroit autoworkers, one man shouted a question about the Lions – rather than Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s home-state Colts – which the AP illustrated as a potential challenge for the Traverse City newcomer to connect with Michiganders if he decides to run.

Another man at the event praised Buttigieg’s willingness to be "one of the few" politicians to speak to both liberal and conservative media audiences.

Buttigieg has said he won’t make any official political decisions on "how to make myself useful" until after his current boss, President Biden, leaves office, but has been contacted by several Michigan Democrats about entering the race.

Duggan’s announcement, however, was met with derision from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, another potential Democratic contender.

"In moments like this, we don't flee from the party, but we stay and fix it," Benson told FOX-2, which reported she is considering tossing her hat in the ring.

Andrew Feldman, a Democratic strategist in the Great Lakes State, told the AP that people are "shocked and angry" at Duggan for eschewing the Democratic Party label.

"Many view this as a serious situation where Mike Duggan could put the governor’s mansion in the hands of Republicans and roll back years of progress," he said.

While the left wing is divided between Duggan’s independent run and jockeying to fill the Democratic row on the ballot, the Republican race appears wide open.

"You know what, [20]26 is always in the back of my mind, but right now, we’re focused on [20]24," conservative media host Tudor Dixon – the 2022 Republican nominee – said just before the presidential election when asked about running again.

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Other names floated in the Michigan press include businessman Perry Johnson – who briefly ran for president on the GOP line in 2024 – businessman Kevin Rinke, and several sitting GOP lawmakers.

Adding to the electoral uncertainty were Michigan’s 2024 split results, as voters there chose both Republican President-elect Trump and Democratic Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin from the top-tier races. 

As for Whitmer, reports have viewed her as a top contender in the 2028 Democratic presidential contest, along with several other governors, like Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, California’s Gavin Newsom, North Carolina’s Roy Cooper, Maryland’s Wes Moore, Illinois’ JB Pritzker and Minnesota’s Tim Walz.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Michigan GOP, Michigan Democrats and Buttigieg’s office for comment.

EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will introduce a budget proposal banning "sanctuary cities" in his state, along with ensuring tax money will not go to counties or independent cities that aren’t complying with ICE.

The proposal will require local police and corrections officers to fulfill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests for criminal illegal immigrants and notify the federal government within two days of releasing any such person who matriculates through the justice system.

Additionally, any municipality that identifies as a sanctuary city or enacts similar policies will have state funding typically allocated toward supporting their police departments withheld by Richmond.

The Department of Criminal Justice Services, currently led by Youngkin appointee and former Prince William County Officer Jackson Miller, will be advised to withhold what is called "599 Funding" in that regard.

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"Criminals who are in the United States illegally will be turned over to ICE," Youngkin told Fox News Digital on Thursday. 

"We must stop the cycle of violence and crime that is being enabled by some local governments. Virginia is not a sanctuary state, and we must be clear that we will not allow localities to become ‘sanctuary cities.'"

The Republican governor, who is term-limited next year under Virginia’s one-and-done policy, said that if local governments "pander to pro-illegal immigrant groups" they’ll see the state-taxpayer assistance spigot turned off.

The news comes amid recent violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Virginia, most recently the sexual assault of a jogger on a popular Herndon rail-trail.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, Honduran national Denis Humberto Navarette-Romero was charged with intent to defile and rape a woman on the Old Dominion Trail. The Washington, D.C., suburb’s police chief said it was the first stranger-rape case in her 12 years on the job.

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Critics pointed to Fairfax County’s sanctuary-type policies as Navarette-Romero had been previously arrested for auto theft and indecent exposure.

In 2018, Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid notified ICE her office will no longer hold inmates past release dates unless an administrative request to hold the suspects is accompanied by a legal criminal detainer.

Kincaid told WJLA earlier this year her department requires such a warrant, after ICE officials criticized a lack of cooperation with Virginia’s largest county by-population.

Only three of 725 "undocumented individuals" in Fairfax custody between July 2023 and July 2024 were transferred to ICE, the outlet reported.

Also in November, Arlington County’s board voted 4-1 in favor of a policy stipulating police may only notify ICE in cases involving gang members and very serious crimes, according to ArlNow.

The vote came as activists chanted "ICE Out Of Arlington!"

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Alexandria, an independent city, initiated a policy in 2007 stating it would not inquire about citizenship "beyond what is required by state and federal law."

In 2017, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney responded to President Trump’s immigration policies by ordering the city's police department not to consent to participate in ICE collaboration agreements and not to inquire about citizenship status "in the interest of public safety."

Virginia officials have said the state Department of Corrections has always and continues to recognize ICE detainers during Youngkin’s tenure.

Incoming Trump "Border Czar" Thomas Homan has repeatedly pledged a "mass deportation" initiative and similarly warned sanctuary cities he will use the might of the federal government to enforce compliance with the law.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's approval and favorable ratings are edging up, but a new poll indicates a majority of New Yorkers would prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor in the Empire State.

According to a Siena College poll conducted Dec. 2-5 and released on Tuesday, only a third (33%) of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (57%) saying they wanted someone else.

Only 48% of Democrats said – at this extremely early point – that they're prepared to re-elect Hochul, with four in 10 Democrats saying they want "someone else."

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The percentage of voters who prefer another candidate jumps to 65% among independents and 85% among Republicans.

Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after three-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals.

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She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002.

In July, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026.

Apparently contributing to Hochul's polling woes is the governor's support for the New York City congestion pricing plan, which takes effect next month.

Most passenger cars entering Midtown and Lower Manhattan will now be charged $9 once a day to enter the congestion zone at peak hours, and $2.25 at other times.

According to the poll, voters by a 51%-29% margin oppose Hochul’s plan, 51-29%. That includes 56% of New York City voters and six in 10 downstate residents.

But Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg noted that "there’s some good news for the Governor. Her favorability rating improved for the second consecutive poll."

Hochul's favorable rating edged up from 36%-51% in October to 39%-49% now. And her job approval rating as governor also jumped from 41%-51% in October to 46%-49% now.

"The bad news is that both ratings remain stubbornly underwater. Hochul has not had a positive favorability rating since January of this year and she has never had 50% or more voters view her favorably," Greenberg added.

But he added that "voters say that all things being equal they’d prefer a Democrat over a Republican to be the next governor, 52-34%."

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who is mulling a primary challenge against Hochul, late last month took to social media to argue that the governor is "in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years."

While Washington is enveloped in battles over President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees, a different but equally raucous appointments battle boiled over this week just 300 miles down US-1 from the nation's capital.

North Carolina Republicans, seeing their veto-proof supermajority slip away by a single legislative seat in the state House, are trying to override outgoing Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s disapproval of a bill that would move gubernatorial authority over the NC Board of Elections to the State Auditor’s office.

The Senate overrode the veto but not without an uproar that led to the gallery being cleared. The House is poised to attempt its complementary override, but the GOP’s plans have hit a snag there.

The proposal was part of a bill chiefly geared toward Hurricane Helene relief, and was lambasted by Democrats as a power grab, in part due to the fact the GOP flipped the executive branch office with Auditor-elect Dave Boliek – but failed to see their gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson best Gov.-elect Josh Stein.

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However, Robinson – as the Senate’s presiding officer – moved to clear the gallery after raucous protestations and chants of "Shame, Shame, Shame!" erupted above lawmakers preparing to vote on the veto override. Robinson has thus far had to do so twice, according to Carolina Public Press.

As the eventually successful vote was about take place, a woman shouted "[the law] destroys the will of the voter – it’s voter suppression!"

"It restructures the entire state constitution."

Robinson, without raising his voice, spoke into his mic that the woman was "disrupting … the legislative process."

When a gallery-watcher shouted that the bill lacked any "reasonable relief for hurricane victims," Robinson banged his gavel and called out, "Clear the gallery."

"Everybody’s gotta go," he said, as police calmly ushered spectators out, threatening those who remained with arrest.

"You can bang that gavel," one man was heard taunting Robinson as he left.

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State Sen. Natasha Marcus, D-Huntersville, was heard on video captured by the Raleigh News-Observer calling out to Robinson that he could not clear the whole gallery, because many people were respectfully watching the vote, and saying the capitol is "the people’s house."

Before he vetoed the bill, Cooper told NBC Charlotte that the legislation "really didn't provide immediate and direct funding to western North Carolina" despite being labeled as Helene relief. He called it a "massive power grab."

Jim Stirling, a research associate at the North Carolina-based John Locke Foundation, has done a deep dive into the controversy, and his group filed an amicus brief with lawmakers in a recent lawsuit related to the matter.

"It is not under the purview of the governor to execute all laws. The other executive agencies of the executive branch or indeed other executive elected officials are in charge of executing law. Not just the governor," Stirling said.

"Under [Cooper’s] argument, he says effectively that all appointments must be under him because he's in charge of executing the law, and he has the power of appointment on this."

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Overriding the veto, however, could render part of the lawsuit moot, he said.

The lawsuit will "probably need to be restarted based on the argument that these appointments must be under the governor, not any other executive agency (like the auditor)," he said.

Neither Cooper nor Robinson responded to a request for comment. 

In moving election boards’ appointment power to the state auditor’s office, the state board’s activities would remain independent of Boliek and the executive branch, but his office would control its appointments and funding, according to NBC Charlotte.

What would change would be the current Democratic control of the elections board, an official told the outlet. The state auditor would also be able to appoint chairpersons in all 100 Tarheel State counties.

Currently, Cooper – and would-be Stein – also appoint the state board’s members, who must consist of three majority-party and two minority-party individuals.

Attempts to move appointment powers away from the governor’s office have been subject to lawsuits in recent months and years. The most recent ruling, in Cooper v. Berger, held that an attempt to move appointment powers to the legislature unlawfully infringed on the executive branch’s express power in that regard.

A prior case, McCrory v. Berger – bearing the name of Cooper’s predecessor, Republican Gov. Patrick McCrory – resulted in a state supreme court ruling holding that some appointments made by legislators violate separation of powers.

In the state House, three Republicans from the Helene-ravaged western part of the state voted against the bill, with one, Rep. Mark Pless of Canton, saying it had nothing "that was going to send money to the many needs in Western NC – it was simply moving money from one account to another."

Pless, however, said the election board appointments portion appears "allowable by the legislature," according to FOX-8. The veto-override in the lower chamber, therefore, could come up just short if the trio do not change their original positions.

Former Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker spoke out after a county judge in Madison struck down major parts of a 2011 law geared toward public employee unions. 

Dane County Judge Jacob Frost ruled that the provisions of a law known as Act 10, which selectively exempt certain public workers from its restrictions on unionization and collective bargaining, are unconstitutional. The controversial law sought to close a budget deficit by limiting collective bargaining, thereby moderating public workers' benefits that Walker said at the time helped solve a fiscal situation he was required to address.

The original passage in 2011 led to weekslong protests inside the state Capitol, and even saw legislative Democrats flee to neighboring Illinois to prevent Republicans from reaching a quorum to vote on it. Walker later survived a 2012 recall election over the law's passage and rode his success into a decent showing in the 2016 presidential race, where he eventually bowed out of the primary that ultimately went to Donald Trump. 

On Tuesday, Walker, who currently leads the conservative-training nonprofit Young America's Foundation (YAF), said his law simply took power "out of the hands of the big union bosses and put it firmly into the hands of the hardworking taxpayers…"

"And what this court decision did as brazen political action was to throw that out and put power back in the hands of those union bosses," he said in an interview, calling collective bargaining not a right but an "expensive entitlement."

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Asked about Frost’s assertion that disparate treatment of collective bargaining rights of certain "public safety" workers and other public workers was unconstitutional, Walker said it was a "bogus political argument." 

Frost stripped more than 60 sections of the law from the books.

The law was upheld multiple times at the state and federal levels, Walker replied, adding a new issue is that of a potentially-growing "liberal activist majority" on the officially nonpartisan Wisconsin Supreme Court that may hear any appeal of the ruling.

Walker said that if appealed, the first place the case will land is in Waukesha court, which he predicted would overturn Frost. But a subsequent appeal by the left would bring it before the state’s high bench.

"It’s all the more reason why the Supreme Court race in Wisconsin this spring (2025) is more important than ever," he said.

Walker went on to discuss the roots of Act 10, and how it was his way of abiding by Wisconsin’s balanced-budget requirement. He noted the original name was the "Budget Repair Act" and that a prior Democratic administration instead chose to cut funding for municipalities, which instead resulted in layoffs.

Instead of risking job loss or Medicare cuts, Walker opted to require public workers to contribute more to their entitlements in return for keeping their pensions solvent.

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In addition, Wisconsin Senate President Chris Kapenga echoed Walker’s claim that partisan politics played a role in the ruling:

"[I]t’s proof there is very little justice left in our justice system. Wisconsin's legislature should be discussing impeachment, as we are the only check on their power," said Kapenga, R-Oconomowoc.

"Believing Dane County judges and the liberal majority in our state Supreme Court are independent jurists is almost as far-fetched as believing the border is secure, inflation's not a problem, or [President Biden] won't pardon his son."

"The left keeps telling us, ‘Don't believe what you see’ — Wisconsinites see right through it," he said.

As for Walker’s current role as president of YAF, he said his organization is preparing for conservative leadership to return to Washington as he brought it to Madison in 2010.

Walker said he is thrilled by the prospect of seeing many YAF alumni in the new Trump administration, including Stephen Miller, a top aide to Trump and formerly ex-Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

Sergio Gor, a longtime aide to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was named Trump’s head of presidential personnel last month. Walker praised Gor's prior work leading YAF’s George Washington University chapter.

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"Four years ago, younger voters sided with Biden by 25 points," Walker said. "This election, that shrunk right down to 5 or 6 points. And most interestingly, young men four years ago went with Biden by 15 points. In this election, they shifted to Trump by 14. What we need to do is lock that in."

As they gather for their annual winter meeting, the nation's Democratic governors say they're the "best path forward" for a party now out of power in the nation's capital, and the "last line of defense" as President-elect Trump returns to the White House.

The Democrats lost the White House and the Senate majority, and failed to flip the House, in last month's elections.

But Democrats held the line in this year's gubernatorial elections, and continue to hold 23 of the 50 governors' offices.

The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) highlights their governors "represent more than half of the U.S. population, including in five of the seven biggest presidential battlegrounds (AZ, MI, NC, PA and WI) as well as deep red states like Kansas and Kentucky."

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"At a time when the Democratic Party is looking for the path back to victory, Democratic governors continue to win by earning the trust of voters by meeting them where they are on their biggest everyday challenges," DGA executive director Meghan Meehan-Draper highlighted.

And she emphasized that "who your governor is has never mattered more – and with Republicans in control of the federal government, there will be even higher stakes and more resources necessary for the 38 gubernatorial elections in 2025 and 2026, including the hard work already underway to flip Virginia and hold New Jersey in 2025."

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Democratic governors and state attorneys general played a high-profile role in pushing back via political and legal battles during Trump's first term in the White House – and several are ready to reprise that role.

Two of the most high-profile Democratic governors, California's Gavin Newsom and Illinois' JB Pritzker, have already begun to "Trump-proof" their solidly blue states.

And Pritzker, along with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, last month launched a group called Governors Safeguarding Democracy, in order to resist the incoming Trump administration.

The rival Republican Governors Association criticized the Democrats' strategy.

"The fact that Americans resoundingly rejected the Democratic Party agenda just one month ago, and yet Democrats continue to believe running against an agenda of lower costs, more safety, and more freedom is their winning message shows just how wholly out of touch they are with the country," RGA communications director Courtney Alexander argued.

But longtime Democratic strategist Maria Cardona pointed to her party's governors as a "focus of progress and protection" with Trump returning to the White House.

But Cardona, a Democratic National Committee member, said the governors will also "be the ones that are going to show Americans the path forward." 

"Democratic governors have always been innovative and creative and know what works both to push back against MAGA extremism, as well as bring people together with commonsense bi-partisanship.," Cardona added. "The country needs that smart, tested, measured yet passionate approach now more than ever."

Some of the governors will also be some of the early high-profile potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

Newsom, Pritzker, Polis, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, are among the names often mentioned as possible White House hopefuls in the next presidential election.

FIRST ON FOX — Gov. Brian Kemp, the new chair of the Republican Governors Association, is aiming to build on the GOP momentum coming out of the 2024 elections as he looks ahead to the next gubernatorial showdowns.

"We've had great successes," the popular GOP governor of Georgia told Fox News Digital as he pointed to President-elect Trump's 2024 victory as well as Republican gubernatorial, congressional and down-ballot triumphs this month.

Republicans held onto their 27-23 gubernatorial advantage in the 2024 elections, thanks in part to the efforts of the RGA.

HELPING TRUMP GET OFF TO A FAST START A KEY MISSION FOR REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS

Looking ahead, New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial elections next year, giving them outsized national attention and making them key barometers for the mood of Americans during the start of a new presidential term.

A competitive GOP primary is underway in blue-state New Jersey, where Republicans hope to win a gubernatorial election for the first time in a dozen years.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY WITH TRUMP ELECTION, ‘WE’VE GOT A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE'

And in Virginia, the GOP is rallying around Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears as she aims to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin [Virginia governors can only serve one consecutive four-year term] and make history as the state's first woman governor and the nation's first Black female governor.

"We're ready to keep working as we move into what will be a tough cycle for us in Virginia, in New Jersey, and then having 36 races in 2026," Kemp said last week in his first interview after being elected RGA chair at the group's annual winter meeting, which was held this year at a waterfront resort in Marco Island, Florida.

Kemp emphasized that "my goal is for us to continue to raise enough money to be competitive. The Democrats are outspending us because they have big check writers, but we have a lot of really dedicated donors. We'll try to continue to build the tent, make sure that we have good candidates and win because our policies are better."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS POPULAR GOP GOVERNOR AFTER HE LEAVES OFFICE

Kemp said his own comfortable re-election in 2022 and Trump's victory in battleground Georgia this month in the presidential election "gives us a lot of confidence, a lot of hope, but we also know that the '26 midterm is going to be tough." 

Kemp is term-limited and can't seek another term in office in 2026. The contest to succeed him will be a top gubernatorial election in two years.

"I'm going to be very engaged, you can rest assured, to making sure that my [successors] are Republican. I have a vested interest in doing that," Kemp said. "We'll be working with the Trump administration and a lot of other people to make sure that that's happening not only in Georgia but in other states around the country, in places like Kansas, where we have a Democratic governor right now, in places like Arizona, where we have a really good shot at winning the governor's races. So we're going to be on offense."

Georgia will also have a high-profile Senate showdown as Republicans aim to defeat Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026.

Asked if he'll be courted by national Republicans to take on Ossoff, Kemp responded, "Well, I may."

But he quickly pivoted, stressing that "my focus right now, being just elected the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, is on raising money for us to be competitive in 2025 and 2026. I've made the commitment to do that, and I'm going to fulfill that commitment. We'll see what happens down the road with anything else."

Asked if he's not ruling out a possible 2026 Senate bid or even a 2028 White House run, the governor said, "I try to keep all doors open in politics."

NEWFIELDS, N.H. – After eight years in office, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is in his final weeks steering New England's only swing state.

Sununu announced last year that he wouldn’t seek an unprecedented fifth two-year term as governor. New Hampshire and Vermont are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial elections every two years.

And he's leaving office on a high note, with his approval ratings remaining firmly in positive territory.

So what's next for the 50-year-old Sununu, who eight years ago, when first elected, was the nation's youngest governor?

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"I'm excited to get back to the private sector. I like businesses, I like deal sourcing," the governor said in a Fox News Digital interview. "I'm not sure exactly what the private sector is going to bring, but I think it's going to be pretty exciting."

New Hampshire, a perennial swing state, will likely have a competitive Senate contest in 2026 when longtime Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a former governor, is up for re-election. And Sununu is likely to be courted by national Republicans to run for the Senate.

EXCLUSIVE: WHAT THE NEW REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CHAIR TOLD FOX NEWS

But Sununu reiterated what he told Fox News Digital in July.

"Definitely ruling out running for the Senate in 2026. Yeah, definitely not on my dance card," he said.

But the governor predicted that Republicans will "have a good candidate. There's no question about it. A couple of different folks that might be interested in running. I think that'd be fantastic. We've had an all-Democrat [congressional] delegation for a long time. I think the people in the state… would love a different voice, would love just some sort of change."

Sununu, one of the more recognizable governors nationwide thanks to his regular appearances the past few years on the Sunday talk shows and cable news networks, mulled a Republican presidential nomination run before announcing a year and a half ago that he wouldn't seek the White House in 2024.

Asked if there's another run for office in his future, the governor said he's "not thinking about that at all, excited for the private sector. And that's all… that's in my windshield."

But he didn't entirely shut the door, adding, "We'll see what political chapters write themselves down the road."

Sununu will be succeeded as New Hampshire governor by Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte, a fellow Republican and former state attorney general and former U.S. senator.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY WITH TRUMP ELECTION, ‘WE’VE GOT A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE'

The governor was a top surrogate on the campaign trail and on the airwaves for Ayotte, who pledged to continue the Sununu agenda.

Asked if Ayotte's nearly nine and half point win over former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, the Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee, was also a victory for him, Sununu said, "It was a victory for New Hampshire."

"Kelly's going to be phenomenal. She has that experience as an attorney general, as U.S. senator. She understands how the systems work," Sununu emphasized. "Our transition is already going incredibly smoothly; discussions virtually every single day about all aspects of government, where it's going, how to build good teams and, most importantly… the opportunities to listen to what's happening in the communities."

Asked if he'd be offering advice to his successor, Sununu said "she'll have my cell number. I don't know if she'll need it, because I think she's going to be fantastic on her own, but she'll always have my cell number."

Sununu pointed to John Lynch and now-Sen. Maggie Hassan, his Democratic predecessors as governor, who Sununu said shared their cellphone numbers with him. He noted, "We want New Hampshire to be successful. So, it's not just me helping Kelly out. It is always a team effort. She's going to have a host of people that she can lean on for any advice when she needs it."

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., referred to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul as "the new Joe Biden," warning that Democrats could lose the 2026 gubernatorial election just like they lost the 2024 presidential contest.

"Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden. She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee. A Democratic incumbent who is less popular in New York than Donald Trump is in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years," the congressman said in a post on X.

"Waiting until it’s too late gave us a Republican President in 2024 and could give us a Republican Governor in 2026. Let's avoid repeating history and avoid sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat," he suggested.

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Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from the offices of Hochul and Torres, but neither immediately responded.

Torres told Spectrum News NY 1 that he is considering a gubernatorial bid, and noted that he plans to do a "listening tour" beginning in December and January.

The congressman, who won re-election to the House of Representatives earlier this month, said in "mid-2025" he will make his "final decision." 

NEW YORK DEM WARNS ‘VILIFYING VOTERS OF COLOR AS WHITE SUPREMACISTS’ PUSHES ‘THEM FURTHER INTO TRUMP’S CAMP'

The lawmaker has accused the "far left" of turning people off from the Democratic Party.

"Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party with absurdities like ‘Defund the Police’ or ‘From the River to the Sea’ or ‘Latinx,’" the congressman opined in a post on X earlier this month.

"There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world. The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling," he added.

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — With his convincing White House victory this month, President-elect Donald Trump's grip over the Republican Party is firmer than ever.

But a popular Republican governor who has long been a vocal critic of the former and future president says that there's still room in the GOP for those outside of the MAGA and America First base.

"The party is a big-tent party. There's no question about it," Sununu said in a Fox News Digital interview this week along the sidelines of the Republican Governors Association winter meeting, which was held at a waterfront resort in southwest Florida.

Sununu, who was a top surrogate and supporter of former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's final challenger in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries, backed the Republican nominee in the general election.

EXCLUSIVE: WHAT THE NEW REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CHAIR TOLD FOX NEWS

"It was a huge victory across the country, and the people of this country have spoken very loudly and unequivocally," Sununu said of Trump's electoral college and popular vote victory.

And the governor acknowledged that Trump is "the standard-bearer of the party" and "the voice of the party."

"But this is a very large party. If it wasn't, he (Trump) wouldn't have won. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have had convincing wins all across this country in a variety of different states," Sununu said.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY WITH TRUMP ELECTION, ‘WE’VE GOT A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE'

Asked about the president-elect's flurry of announcements on Cabinet nominations this month, Sununu said that "he definitely has a couple of controversial Cabinet picks that … I don't mind saying I'm not the biggest fan of, but the vast majority of them are terrific." (Sununu was interviewed before former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew his name from consideration as attorney general amid a growing scandal.)

"He's bringing folks from the private sector, he's bringing in governors, he's bringing in folks that have real experience in all of these issues and that understand the mission, which is fiscal responsibility," Sununu said, "getting regulations out of the way, which effectively lowers costs on business, lowers costs on consumers, lowers costs for everyday citizens."

Sununu didn't stump on Trump's behalf in swing state New Hampshire, but he crisscrossed the campaign trail on behalf of down-ballot Republicans. The governor was a top surrogate for former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, the GOP gubernatorial nominee who emerged victorious on Election Day and has pledged to continue the Sununu agenda.

Asked if Ayotte's nearly nine and half point win was also a victory for him, Sununu said, "It was a victory for New Hampshire."

"Kelly's going to be phenomenal. She has that experience as an attorney general, as U.S. senator. She understands how the systems work," Sununu said. "Our transition is already going incredibly smoothly; discussions virtually every single day about all aspects of government, where it's going, how to build good teams and, most importantly … the opportunities to listen to what's happening in the communities."

"She'll have my cell number. I don't know if she'll need it, because I think she's going to be fantastic on her own, but she'll always have my cell number," Sununu said when asked if he'd be offering advice to his successor.

FORMER AND FUTURE GOP RISING STAR SPEAKS WITH FOX NEWS

And pointing to his two Democrat predecessors as governor, who Sununu said shared their cellphone numbers with him: "We want New Hampshire to be successful. So it's not just me helping Kelly out. It is always a team effort. She's going to have a host of people that she can lean on for any advice when she needs it."

After mulling a 2024 White House run, Sununu announced in the summer of 2023 that he would launch a presidential campaign, and weeks later he also said he wouldn't seek an unprecedented fifth two-year term steering the Granite State. (New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial elections every two years.)

"I'm excited to get back to the private sector. I like businesses, I like deal sourcing," he said. "I'm not sure exactly what the private sector is going to bring, but I think it's going to be pretty exciting."

New Hampshire will likely have a competitive Senate contest in 2026 when longtime Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a former governor, is up for re-election.

But Sununu reiterated what he told Fox News Digital in July.

"Definitely ruling out running for the Senate in 2026. Yeah, definitely not on my dance card," he said.

But the governor predicted that Republicans will "have a good candidate. There's no question about it. A couple of different folks that might be interested in running. I think that'd be fantastic. We've had an all-Democrat [congressional] delegation for a long time. I think the people in the state, especially with Kelly's convincing win, would love a different voice, would love just some sort of change."

Asked if there's another run for office in his future, the 50-year-old governor said he's "not thinking about that at all, excited for the private sector. And that's all … that's in my windshield."

But he didn't entirely shut the door, adding, "We'll see what political chapters write themselves down the road."

MARCO ISLAND, FL - EXCLUSIVE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, the new chair of the Republican Governors Association, says a top mission for GOP governors going forward will be helping President-elect Trump.

Kemp highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview that Republican governors spent the past four years "pushing back" on President Biden's administration.

And speaking to the media for the first time after being elected RGA chair at the group's annual winter meeting - held this year at a waterfront resort in southwest Florida - the popular conservative two-term governor said on Wednesday that "we need to focus on making sure that we're getting the Trump administration off to a strong start."

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For two years following his 2020 election loss to President Biden, Trump heavily criticized Kemp for refusing to help overturn his razor-thin defeat in Georgia.

Trump urged, and then supported, a 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary challenge against Kemp by former Sen. David Perdue. But the former president toned down his criticism of the governor after Kemp crushed Perdue to easily win renomination on his way to re-election.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY WITH TRUMP ELECTION, ‘WE’VE GOT A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE'

But Trump, at a rally in Atlanta in August, unexpectedly went on a tirade against the Georgia governor - only to publicly praise Kemp just a few weeks later in a major about-face for the former president. And the two politicians teamed up in October - for the first time in four years - to survey hurricane damage in Georgia.

Kemp, looking forward to working again with a Republican White House administration, said that "from the governors' perspective, we've got two years to make them successful and help them be successful up there, and to undo what the Biden-Harris administration has done."

Republicans held onto the 27-23 gubernatorial advantage in this month's elections, thanks in part to the efforts of the RGA.

"We're ready to keep working as we move into what will be a tough cycle for us in Virginia, in New Jersey [the only two states to hold elections for governor in 2025] and then having 36 races in 2026."

Kemp emphasized that "my goal is for us to continue to raise enough money to be competitive. The Democrats are out spending us because they have big check writers, but we have a lot of really dedicated donors. We'll try to continue to build the tent, make sure that we have good candidates and win because our policies are better."

Kemp said his comfortable re-election in 2022 and Trump's victory in Georgia earlier this month in the presidential election "gives us a lot of confidence, a lot of hope, but we also know that the '26 midterm is going to be tough." 

Kemp is term-limited and can't seek another term in office in 2026. The contest to succeed him will be a top gubernatorial election in two years.

"I'm gonna be very engaged, you can rest assured, to making sure that my [successors] are Republican. I have a vested interest in doing that," Kemp said. "We'll be working with the Trump administration and a lot of other people to make sure that that's happening not only in Georgia, but in other states around the country, in places like Kansas, where we have a Democratic governor right now, in places like Arizona, where we have a really good shot at winning the governor's races. So we're going to be on offense."

Georgia will also have a high-profile Senate showdown, as Republicans aim to defeat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026.

Asked if he'll be courted by national Republicans to take on Ossoff, Kemp responded "well, I may."

But he quickly pivoted, stressing that "my focus right now, being just elected the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, is on raising money for us to be competitive in 2025 and 2026. I've made the commitment to do that, and I'm gonna fulfill that commitment. We'll see what happens down the road with anything else."

Asked if he's not ruling out a possible 2026 Senate bid or even a 2028 White House run, the governor diplomatically said "I try to keep all doors open in politics."

MARCO ISLAND, FL - EXCLUSIVE - After some high-profile battles with President Biden's administration the past three years, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin says that President-elect Trump's decisive election victory earlier this month means he now has "a friend in the White House."

Youngkin, the popular Virginia governor who's entering his final year in office, argued in an exclusive Fox News Digital interview that "as a governor who’s been driving pro-business and strong education and safe communities and lower tax rates, we now have someone in the White House who believes in all of that."

"I look forward to us having the wind at our backs as opposed to in our face," Youngkin said as he spoke Tuesday on the sidelines of the Republican Governors Association annual winter meeting, which is being held this year at a southwestern Florida waterfront resort.

And pointing to his final year steering Virginia, Youngkin said "I can’t wait to see what we’re going to do having the wind at our back from the Trump administration."

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION

There was plenty of speculation regarding Youngkin potentially serving in a top position in the second Trump administration, but the governor in a recent call with the president-elect made it clear he intends to finish out his term.

But he doesn't sound like he's ruling out serving in the Trump administration after he finishes up in Richmond in a year.

"I told the president when I called him and told him that I wanted to finish my term, that I would be available to help him at any time while I’m governor and afterwards," Youngkin said.

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Youngkin energized Republicans nationwide three years ago, as the first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing edged out former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended towards the Democrats over the previous decade.

The governor instantly became a Republican rock star and speculation stirred about a possible 2024 White House run.

But Youngkin and his party suffered a setback a year ago in legislative elections that grabbed outsized national attention, as Democrats retained control of the Virginia state Senate and flipped the House of Delegates.

While Youngkin wasn't on the ballot, he had plenty riding on the results, after investing plenty of political capital on behalf of Republican legislative candidates. The results also meant Youngkin wouldn't have a free hand during his final two years in office to push through a conservative agenda.

Youngkin returned to the campaign trail this year in Virginia and a couple of key battleground states, to help campaign on behalf of Republicans up and down the ballot.

And he spoke at a large rally Trump held in conservative southwest Virginia the weekend before Election Day. 

While Vice President Kamala Harris carried the Commonwealth in the White House race, her margin over Trump was 4.5 points narrower than President Biden's victory in the state four years earlier, as Trump and Republicans over performed expectations.

The results appear to have given Youngkin more clout ahead of his final legislative session. Democrats who over the past year were united in opposition to the governor's proposed tax cuts, may now be receptive to negotiating.

Asked if the Democrats are now ready to play ball, Youngkin said "I’m hoping they are. I think that the recognition that Virginians want to keep more of their hard-earned money has really engaged everyone in a dialogue on how to provide tax relief."

He argued the election results "demonstrated record job growth which has created surplus after surplus after surplus is driven by pro-business standards."

And he emphasized that "we’re going to come back with a big tax package again, and we’re going to make sure we’re standing strong for education and strong for public safety."

"I’m optimistic," he added, but acknowledged that "it will be a normal legislative process. We have a legislative – we’re a one seat minority in the House and the Senate – so we have to go to work to get things done."

All political eyes will be on Virginia in 2025, as the Commonwealth and New Jersey are the only two states to hold gubernatorial elections in the year after a presidential election.

But Virginia governors, by law, are prevented from running for re-election to a second straight term.

That doesn't mean Youngkin will disappear from the campaign trail in 2025. He says it's just the opposite.

VIRGINIA'S YOUNGKIN ENDORSES HIS LT. GOVERNOR TO SUCCEED HIM

"You’re going to see me a lot," he touted. "We’ve got a very aggressive agenda for being governor in the last 14 months. But part of that agenda that I have is to make sure that we have [Lt. Gov.] Winsome Sears as our next governor. [Virginia Attorney General] Jason Miyares back as our attorney general and a super lieutenant governor who we will pick at our primaries."

Youngkin predicted that "Virginians are going to make clear that they want to keep doing more of what we’re doing that’s proving record job growth and opportunity and great outcomes in schools and safe communities."

The 2025 Virginia gubernatorial showdown is shaping up as a contest between Sears and Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer. The winner will make history as the state's first ever female governor. And Sears, if she wins, will also make history as the nation's first Black female elected governor.

Youngkin pushed back when asked if Sears, who served in the Marine Corps and made history as the first woman in Virginia to hold statewide office, is too conservative for voters. 

"Not at all," the governor quickly responded. "And Winsome is a commonsense conservative leader. We have been partners literally from day one. We campaigned together. We were elected together. We have governed together. And I look forward to seeing Virginians embrace her as the next governor of Virginia."

As for his own political future, Youngkin was less revealing about any future runs for elective office.

Asked about a possible but unlikely run for the Senate in 2026 against longtime Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Waner, or a future White House campaign, Youngkin quickly pivoted to his day job as governor.

"I have a huge year and a few months ahead of me and that’s where my focus is, and I need to finish strong, so Virginia can really continue to soar. And that’s what I’m going to spend my time on."

After that, he said "we’ll see what’s next."

Facing a follow-up question, Youngkin stayed on script, saying "we’ll see what happens down the road, but right now my sights are set on finishing strong."

Fox News' Matt Reidy contributed to this story

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin endorsed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor ahead of the state's November 2025 gubernatorial contest. Youngkin and Sears are both Republicans.

The governor took office in early 2022, but the state constitution blocks governors from serving two consecutive terms, so he cannot run for re-election in 2025. The race will be one of the first significant races since President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 victory.

Merle Rutledge is also running for governor as a Republican, while Rep. Abigail Spanberger is a candidate on the Democratic side.

"Winsome has been an outstanding Lt. Governor, and she will be a great Governor," Youngkin said in social media posts. 

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"She has been an outspoken advocate for commonsense conservative principles and policies, a passionate voice for our military and veterans, and a relentless advocate for educational freedom and economic opportunity. She brings the fighting spirit of a Marine to the office every single day," he declared.

Sears noted that she is "deeply grateful" for Youngkin's endorsement. 

GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN TOUTS SUPREME COURT RULING: ‘VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE’

Spanberger blasted former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard after President-elect Donald Trump tapped her to serve as director of national intelligence. 

"As a former CIA case officer, I saw the men and women of the U.S. intelligence community put their lives on the line every day for this country — and I am appalled at the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to lead DNI," Spanberger declared in a post on X.

Gabbard, who served in the House of Representatives as a Democrat, announced last month that she was joining the GOP.

DEMOCRATS TRASH TULSI GABBARD AFTER TRUMP TAPS HER FOR DNI POST

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Youngkin also endorsed Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares for re-election.

"As Attorney General, Jason vigorously defends the laws of the Commonwealth, stands with law enforcement every single day while leading our shared fight to end the free flow of opioids and fentanyl into our communities, and has been a constant advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence," Youngkin said in his social media posts.