From the gubernatorial election to the General Assembly session: What will 2025 look like in Virginia politics?

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - 2025 is set to be a blockbuster year in Virginia politics.  Randolph-Macon Political Science Professor Rich Meagher said the 2025 gubernatorial election will most likely define the year in Virginia politics, and he added that the race will most likely be centered around key national issues like abortion rights and immigration.  “I think the interplay between what happens with that Virginia election and what happens at the national level is really going to define politics here in the commonwealth over the next year,” Meagher told 8News.  Meagher also said the result of the election is likely to be dependent on how Virginians grade President-elect Donald Trump’s performance on key issues in his first year in office.  “On one hand, Democrats are trying to make it about reproductive rights and maybe voting rights and the Republicans on the other hand about immigration policy. I think those are going to be at least some of the defining issues of this next year,” said Meagher.  Meanwhile, Meagher said that since the Democrats control both the House of Delegates and Senate and Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a record number of bills last year, it’s unlikely lawmakers will be all that productive during this year’s General Assembly session. “I do think on big-ticket issues, we are going to see some vetoes coming from the governor's pen so we are not going to see a lot of major action on those issues,” explained Meagher.  Meagher adds that although some high-profile Democrats are urging Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) to join the race for governor, he believes it’s still likely that the general election will end up being a race between Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) and Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears.