Spanberger takes fire from all sides as Youngkin, Angel parent slams recent controversies
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger faced dueling controversies this week as her Republican predecessor publicly rebuked her over support for Democrats’ redistricting amendment, and an Angel Mom challenged her on immigration enforcement.
Virginia has been ground zero for Democrats’ left-wing agenda since the former Henrico County congresswoman took office in January, from reversing Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s cooperation pact with DHS to supporting legislative Democrats’ alleged "power grab" to draw out every Republican congressman in the Commonwealth except Rep. Morgan Griffith in the far southwest.
During a visit to Culpeper, a largely but increasingly less rural population center between Front Royal and Richmond, Spanberger was pressed on her relative silence on the case of Stephanie Minter, a Fredericksburg mother allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant convict at a Fairfax County bus stop last month.
As she was escorted to her car by security after an affordable housing event, local ABC reporter Nick Minock shouted a question about what her message would be to Minter’s family and others harmed by illegal immigrant felons.
"My question would be why when there was a [unintelligible word] deportation order, ICE did not deport," she said as she was hastened into the car.
"ICE had him in custody for 700 days governor and an immigration judge would not allow him be deported to Sierra Leone," Minock attempted to respond as the car door shut.
Minock said Minter’s mother, Cheryl, who headlined a vigil for her daughter in front of Spanberger’s office at the Capitol earlier this week, told him that ICE had been doing what they were supposed to under current law and that "Spanberger needs to check her story because it’s inaccurate and misleading."
That exchange came as Culpeper became the center of another case involving an illegal immigrant accused of heinous crimes, this time soliciting sexual imagery from children.
Angel David Rubio Marin was charged on March 16 with soliciting sexual content from children amid two previous charges of public masturbation, according to a statement from DHS obtained by Fox News Digital.
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Culpeper police arrested Rubio Marin, who, according to local authorities, was soliciting sexually explicit videos in exchange for "Roblox," a popular gaming currency, from at least three children under the age of 10. He was previously arrested in Prince William County in 2024 for allegedly exposing himself in public but was released.
Meanwhile, Spanberger took more incoming from the typically mild-mannered Youngkin – who was term limited when he left office in January.
After releasing a short video calling on Virginia voters to "vote yes" on State Senate President L. Louise Lucas’ new map that draws about half of Virginia’s districts into the densely Democratic D.C. suburbs, Youngkin responded on X, calling her posturing a "blatant lie."
"This is a lie. A blatant lie. Not to mention a complete reversal of your campaign promises," Youngkin said, as Spanberger speaks out in the video to say the new map is "temporary" and is "directly in response to what other states decide to do and to a president who said he's quote entitled to more republican seats before this year’s midterms."
Spanberger previously publicly criticized the idea of mid-decennial redistricting while in Congress, which Youngkin was referring to.
"This unconstitutional power grab will permanently rig Virginia’s congressional maps and disenfranchise millions of Virginians. Virginia, vote no," he said.
Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., whose Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach district is expected to be drawn partially into the liberal cities of Hampton Roads, similarly blasted Spanberger’s flip-flop highlighted by Youngkin.
"I have no plans to redistrict Virginia," Kiggans quoted Spanberger, citing a report dated August 25.
"I am tired of the blatant lies to our face. The lack of truthfulness from this administration and the Democrat Party needs to wake up Virginians," Kiggans said. "Don’t tell us one thing and then do another."
"Whatever happened to affordability," she said on Instagram.
Youngkin’s interjection was also met by supportive surprise from other recent Virginia Republican leaders, including former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
"Wow. Unusually strong language from Glenn Youngkin and of course, he's correct on all points," Cuccinelli said in a statement on social media.
The Virginia Republican Party, currently chaired by James City County GOP Committeeman Jeff Ryer, added that "some things never change."
"Abigail Spanberger shamefully deflects blame for Democrat sanctuary and soft-on-crime policies that keep dangerous criminals like Abdul Jalloh on Virginia streets," Ryer said, in reference to the illegal immigrant accused of murdering Minter.
"No sympathy for the victims. No accountability for how her own party allowed this tragedy to occur. Virginians deserve better."
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for comment.