Spanberger’s rough rural reception draws Hillary Clinton parallels
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was roasted for her visit to a nearly century-old fiddling convention in southwestern Virginia, with the area’s state delegate comparing her unfavorably to failed presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Clinton famously surprised the hosts of New York’s "Breakfast Club" radio program in 2016 when she said she regularly carries hot sauce in her purse — a remark critics said echoed Beyoncé Knowles and amounted to political pandering to Southern and Black voters during her 2016 race against then-businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump.
Del. Wren Williams, a Republican who represents Galax, where the 90th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention took place, told Fox News Digital he was proud of constituents who made their feelings about the governor known peacefully but strongly.
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Williams said it was clear to those assembled that Spanberger was trying to "pander" to rural residents, who have pushed back on several of the governor’s priorities, including the judicially halted redistricting effort and a slew of what Richmond Republican leaders have called "the bad bills."
"[It was] about like Hillary Clinton and her hot sauce – nobody was buying it," Williams said.
Over the weekend, Spanberger and her public safety chief, Galax native Stanley Meador, were booed after Meador introduced the governor. Meador previously served as special agent in charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office during the "anti-Catholic memo" controversy that drew congressional scrutiny.
Williams told Fox News Digital that people in Galax and surrounding Carroll County — atop the Blue Ridge and just over the border from Andy Griffith’s "Mount Pilot" area of North Carolina — have felt ignored by Spanberger and said their reaction was justified.
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"These are my constituents, the same ones that she just disarmed, tried to force into one single congressional district that represented their political views, and lied every step of the way while jockeying for the national Democratic Party nod for her shot at first female president," Williams said, referring to another parallel between Spanberger and Clinton.
Galax, currently represented in Congress by Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., would have sat at the edge of the only remaining Republican-held district under Richmond Democrats’ proposed 10-1 congressional map, which a bipartisan group of Virginia Supreme Court justices blocked earlier this year.
Virginia's top state Republican — whose district is not far west of where Spanberger got booed — told Fox News Digital the incident proved to the governor that her policies run counter to what his neighbors want from Richmond:
"Southwest Virginians have never been shy about standing up for their values and their way of life," said House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore of Gate City.
"When you try to take away their voice in Congress, go after their Second Amendment rights, and drive up their power bills to pay for a green energy agenda they don’t want and can’t afford, folks are going to let you know how they feel," he said.
Former Attorney General Jason Miyares, a top figure in the "Vote No" coalition opposing Spanberger’s redistricting effort, said in a statement that the crowd’s response was predictable.
"Governor Spanberger booed in Galax. Turns out when you break your campaign promise, attempt a leftist power grab pushing an unconstitutional gerrymandering effort in order to silence rural Virginia voices, coupled with massive tax increases, it results in a frosty reception," Miyares said.
"Spanberger finally had to face the music," another Virginia user wrote on X.
Other critics contrasted Democrats’ strength in Northern Virginia with opposition to Spanberger in more rural parts of the state.
"These folks booing are showing how the vast majority of those of us in Virginia feel… not those communists in the blue suburbs of DC," Diane Cheesbrough wrote on X.
"She needs to go and take Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Eugene Vindman with her."
Radio host Scott Adams added that rural voters "are not forgetting" the redistricting controversy.
"Southwest Virginia just delivered the message in person," he said.
"Virginians are done with her," added former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Some observers, however, credited Spanberger with going to Galax and Carroll County despite her weak electoral support in the area.
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"Abigail Spanberger lost [the independent city of] Galax 68 to 32 and showed up anyway," said Democratic strategist Matt Royer.
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"A Republican would have tucked tail and stayed at home when it comes to events in places they lost, like Jason was yesterday. She won Virginia by 15 and still went to one place that booed her. That is the job."
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger and Clinton for comment.