Virginia Governor Claims Credit for Business Deals Already Secured

Clear Facts

• Democrat Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation for $7.1 billion in business investments originally secured by Republican Glenn Youngkin.
• The projects involve AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Avio USA, and Hitachi Energy, creating over 3,200 new Virginia jobs.
• Corporate leaders and records say the flagship deals were publicly announced and finalized during the Youngkin administration.

Governor Spanberger recently touted the signing of incentive bills for major pharmaceutical and infrastructure projects as a core focus of her current administration. However, official records show those investments were recruited and negotiated during the tenure of her predecessor, Glenn Youngkin.

The AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly projects alone account for nearly 85% of the total investment value. Both companies credited the former Republican administration for the speed and support that secured their Virginia sites months before the current governor took office.

“From my very first day in office, I have been working to create a stable business environment so companies can hire, expand, and continue to invest in our Commonwealth,” Spanberger said.

AstraZeneca’s CEO previously personally thanked Youngkin, stating the company “found in Virginia an amazing team that moves at incredible speed to build a better future for this Commonwealth and the American people.”

Hitachi Energy similarly tied its expansion to the support of the former governor and the Trump administration’s White House AI Action Plan. Representatives for the companies said their investments were finalized in late 2025, long before Spanberger assumed her current role.

“Governor Youngkin is happy that Virginians are being reminded of some good news, even if it means Gov. Spanberger taking credit for the economic deals he secured for the Commonwealth,” a spokesman for Youngkin stated.

Spanberger’s team defended the move by arguing that while the deals were secured by the previous administration, her legislative session handled the final funding steps. Critics view the credit-taking as a distraction from the governor’s recent policy reversals and broken campaign promises.

Source: One America News Network

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