How a $15 minimum wage will regionally affect a diverse and unequal Virginia

Published April 25, 2026 6:00am ET



Three months into her first year as governor of Virginia, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) signed legislation to uniformly raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 by 2028.

The move was a drastic departure from the policy of her predecessor, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), who vetoed the $15 minimum wage proposal during his term and urged the state to follow a free-market formula corresponding to the needs of each region of the state.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.