RICHMOND — Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger issued more than 40 vetoes of legislation passed by the state’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session, creating a budget impasse that could lead to a partial government shutdown by the end of June. Among the rejected bills were measures to establish collective bargaining rights for public employees and create a retail cannabis market.

Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, and many newly elected House members hold policy positions to the left of Spanberger. The divide has heightened tensions within the party as lawmakers and the governor negotiate a two-year state budget. Virginia faces a partial government shutdown if an agreement is not reached by June 30, 2026—a scenario unprecedented under a unified government in the state’s modern history.

Gregory Schneider, a Virginia reporter for The Washington Post, said, "Democrats control the legislature in Virginia. So when they passed a bunch of bills earlier this year during the legislative session, and their fellow Democrat (Spanberger) is in the Executive Mansion, they expected that most of them would be enacted." He added, "Instead, Spanberger issued 40-some vetoes of their legislation, and that rubbed some of the Democrats the wrong way."

Schneider noted the ideological shift in the legislature, saying, "A lot of the new ones who have come in are to the left of Gov. Spanberger. Their priorities are a little more aggressively what you’d call progressive than what the governor’s are. So you’re seeing a little bit of a split."

Budget disagreements center on proposals such as ending a tax exemption for data centers, a move supported by Senate Democrats but opposed by Spanberger and some House leaders who argue it would break promises to businesses and harm economic development. Virginia faces a partial government shutdown if the governor and General Assembly do not agree on a two-year budget by the end of June 2026.