What a November we are having here in Falls Church. We started the month out with Virginia’s U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine headlining a rally for then candidate, now Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger at our very own State Theater. 

Days later we celebrated an exceptional election night, with unprecedented results, results that made international headlines as many of us predicted they would. Now, as we head into Thanksgiving, I can’t help but reflect on just how much we have to be grateful for here in the Commonwealth.

Virginia voters delivered a pretty clear verdict. They want stable leadership and a state government that does its job without a lot of unnecessary drama. That may sound simple, but it’s no small thing in the current political climate.

The results at the top of the ticket were historic. Abigail Spanberger will become the first woman ever elected Governor of Virginia. Ghazala Hashmi will serve as Lieutenant Governor, making her both the first Indian-American and the first Muslim person elected statewide here. And Jay Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in our history. However you look at it, Virginia voters were ready to break a few barriers.

The House of Delegates saw its own shake-up. Not only did Democrats hold the majority — we grew it, picking up 13 seats for a 64–36 margin. In a chamber where every vote counts, that’s a significant shift. It also means Democrats will hold a 15–7 edge on every standing committee, which is where a lot of real governing actually happens. When people ask whether election results matter, this is one of the clearest examples. Committee control determines which bills get heard, which ideas advance, and which problems get the attention they deserve. It’s the kind of majority that allows us to take meaningful action on the issues voters just told us matter most: strengthening public education, lowering costs for families, protecting reproductive freedom, improving housing affordability, and keeping our communities safe.

As we gather with friends and family later this month, that’s something worth giving thanks for: Virginians showing up, speaking out, and choosing a path of competence, decency, and progress.

None of this happened by accident. It happened because people believed their voices mattered and because they refused to sit on the sidelines. As I look toward Thanksgiving, I’m especially grateful for the thousands of Virginians who knocked doors in the cold, made calls after long workdays, contributed what they could, voted early, and encouraged neighbors and friends to do the same. Democracy isn’t something we inherit fully formed, but rather something we build together, season after season, election after election.

But even in a season of gratitude, we can’t overlook the challenges ahead. One of the most significant is redistricting. During last month’s special session, the General Assembly advanced a constitutional amendment to allow Virginia to redraw congressional lines mid-cycle, a step designed to ensure that as other states aggressively manipulate their maps for partisan advantage, Virginia doesn’t get left behind.

Some critics have called this political. I call it fair. Other states are actively redrawing the balance of power. We can’t simply stand still while the ground shifts beneath our feet. This amendment — which must pass again next session before going to the voters — will help ensure our maps remain representative, legal, and equitable.

With the results of this election, we now have the strength, stability, and clarity of purpose to move that effort forward, alongside the rest of the people’s agenda. And as we gather around Thanksgiving tables across the Commonwealth, I hope we take a quiet moment to appreciate that and to reflect on the simple but powerful truth that democracy still works when we show up for it.

This season reminds us that gratitude isn’t passive either. It’s a commitment to care for one another, to invest in our shared future, and to keep building a Commonwealth that reflects our highest values. So today, and throughout this season, I want to say thank you — sincerely. Thank you for believing in this work. Thank you for your faith in our process. Thank you for your commitment to keeping Virginia a model of progress, integrity, and good governance. Thank you for showing that when we stand together, we can overcome cynicism, division, and doubt.

Happy almost-Thanksgiving. And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for everything you do to keep Virginia moving forward. We enter this next chapter 64 strong and just getting started.