For decades, Virginia‘s firearms policy has mirrored much of the South and the Mountain West. Open carry is allowed without a permit, the state recognizes many out-of-state concealed carry licenses, and it has resisted regulatory steps common in New York and California. In most of Virginia, firearm ownership is viewed as an everyday fact of life instead of a cultural or political statement.

With Abigail Spanberger‘s election as governor and a Democratic majority in the state legislature, that could very well change.