Virginians Should Be Wary of Democrats Eager to Repeal Right-To-Work

Since 1947, Virginians have been guaranteed protection from being forced to join or finance a union as a condition of employment. That could all change this November when the state elects a new Governor and Lieutenant Governor. With former Representative Abigail Spanberger running for Governor and state Senator Ghazala Hashmi for Lieutenant Governor, Democrats may soon have executive control over the Old Dominion, potentially paving the way for significant changes to worker protections, particularly those related to compulsory union membership. Conservative Virginians should pay close attention to Spanberger and Hashmi — not just when they speak, but when they choose to stay silent. 

Right-to-work laws are built upon one incredibly important principle: no person should be forced to financially support or join a union in order to keep their job. This protection emboldens individual freedom in the workplace, incentivizes competition between businesses to provide a safe work environment, and helps attract investment when companies consider expanding or relocating to a new state. States with right-to-work protections enjoy stronger economic performance and lower unemployment. Across the United States, workers know that choice matters. In fact, only one state, Michigan, has repealed right-to-work in 60 years. This underscores the popularity of right-to-work across the country and the vitality of entrenching workers’ choice in every state.  

Hashmi has been very outspoken about her opinions on right-to-work. In official campaign statements and interviews, she has firmly stated that she will “continue to support efforts to repeal ‘Right to Work’ at every opportunity.” If elected to serve as Lieutenant Governor, Hashmi will certainly use her role as President of the Senate to steer legislative efforts towards repealing foundational right-to-work laws and erode the protective barriers between working Virginians and corrupt partisan unions.  

Spanberger, on the other hand, has been much less clear about her stance. She says that she “wouldn’t sign a full repeal” of right-to-work, but that she is open to reforms. The problem with Spanberger is that this rhetoric of reforming right-to-work always leads to the same thing: erosion of the law to a point where the original right-to-work protections are unrecognizable. On the campaign trail, Spanberger is trying to have it both ways, but her refusal to take a clear stance leaves the door open for her to start catering to union bosses the moment she enters the Governor’s mansion. 

Luckily for voters, despite her refusal to take a firm stance on the campaign trail, the Congresswoman has a clear track record in Congress. During each of her three terms in office, Spanberger co-sponsored the radical Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, legislation that would have overridden state right-to-work laws, prohibited employers from discouraging union membership during mandatory meetings, and allowed unions to encourage their members to participate in another union’s strikes and boycotts. It’s difficult to believe that Spanberger opposed right-to-work protections until just January, only to now signal a potential shift in position within a matter of months. 

Peyton Vogel, a spokesperson for Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears had this to say about Spanberger’s record: 

“One of Abigail Spanberger’s final acts in Congress was co-sponsoring a bill to repeal right-to-work laws in all 50 states. Now she’s hiding that record and hoping Virginians won’t notice. While Winsome Earle-Sears is fighting to protect jobs and keep Virginia competitive, Spanberger is just not saying the quiet part out loud: If she tried to kill right-to-work in Washington, you can bet she’ll do it in Virginia the first chance she gets.”

Spanberger’s recent silence on right-to-work isn’t moderation. Rather, it’s a calculated ploy to mislead voters and hide her long record of backing legislation pushed by powerful union bosses. Looking past her carefully curated campaign messages and focusing on her actual record in Congress reveals a much clearer picture of what she’ll do as Governor. And one thing is certain: she won’t protect workers’ rights to refuse union membership. While Hashmi may be the only one actively playing the part of the progressive, there’s little doubt that Spanberger will fall in line with the same radical, left-wing agenda if elected. 

This threat for workers is not hypothetical — it is immediate and real. If voters fail to take her record seriously, they may soon find Virginia heading down a path that undermines individual choice, weakens job growth, and empowers the interests of union bosses over those of workers.