The gubernatorial election has been over for a month. Since then, the political commercials that interrupted our favorite programs and podcasts have vanished. The phone calls, emails and text messages have halted — for many of us. The floor of the Greater Richmond Convention Center, where the state Democrats celebrated their victory, has been swept and the decorations that adorned its interior are long gone, having made way for K-Pop Warriors and the animationic dinosaurs of Jurassic Quest. 

On Monday, the State Board of Elections made it all official — affirming Abigail Spanberger as the next governor, Ghazala Hashmi as lieutenant governor and Jay Jones as attorney general, locking in the choices voters made in House races and local contests across the Commonwealth. 

It’s still a few weeks until the Jan. 17 inauguration at the Virginia State Capitol. But don’t think anyone who’s just been elected to statewide office is taking a break. There’s a whole administration to put together, offices to get squared away, logistics to figure out, a new email password to pick and, yes, finding out where the bathrooms are. 

And that’s just the start. Between now and that first day in office, they’re getting briefed on budgets that stretch for billions, ongoing projects and policy issues that affect every corner of the state. Every decision has ripple effects. It’s a crash course in running a government while trying to find a way to deliver on the promises made on the campaign trail. 

The political reality became clear at the Nov. 20 Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates meeting, just days after the Virginia House and Senate money committees were told the Commonwealth might have to tap a one-time surplus to cover projected expenses. 

“It raises the question about whether Gov.- elect Abigail Spanberger will be able to put forward an affordability agenda without raising additional revenue through new or adjusted taxes,” VPM wrote in its analysis. 

While Spanberger and her team are focused on the mechanics of running the Commonwealth, the political environment isn’t standing still. Democratic Party leaders in Richmond are focused on strengthening their grip on the General Assembly. 

On the campaign trail, Spanberger projected a bipartisan image — someone willing to work across party lines on public safety, education, inflation and other issues. Yet while she was appealing to moderate voters, her allies in the General Assembly were laying the groundwork to expand Democratic majorities, signaling a more aggressive partisan strategy behind the scenes. 

It should be noted that the push to expand their majority in the General Assembly is driven in part by concerns about aggressive redistricting tactics like Republicans have used in Texas. Party leaders see an opening to strengthen their hold, and they’re attempting to make the most of it. We applaud Democrats for thinking strategically. 

Winning an election is just the beginning. The real work comes afterward. The next four years will be a test of vision, resolve and leadership. Spanberger steps into an office where every choice matters — budgets have to balance, agencies need direction and promises made on the campaign trail must meet the reality of governing. We hope our next governor can take the energy of the election and turn it into meaningful change for Virginians.