CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- On Tuesday night, Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, came to the University of Virginia to speak.
Spanberger, a UVA graduate, took questions on affordable living, Virginia schools and the university’s recent leadership struggles involving the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a polarized climate with rising political violence, Spanberger denounced the divisiveness.
She says she’s focused on bipartisanship for voters tired of the drama.
"I think it's incredibly important that anyone running for office, particularly governor of state, demonstrate a type of leadership steadiness and focus that endeavors to really put our communities and our country first," said Spanberger.
Spanberger also addressed the impact of President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” and what it means for Virginians moving forward.
"Since January, we've seen a nine percent decrease in container volume coming from the port of Virginia. We've seen impact of tariffs impact business across the spectrum. We know that they'll increase costs in housing, energy, and health care. Energy and health care will specifically be really catastrophic for Virginia," said Spanberger.
And she said the bill is taking a major blow to revenue and health care, but she presented her plan to combat this.
"I think it's an opportunity for us to get creative in how we address the challenges in our health care system. Ensuring that the state recognizes that our health care infrastructure: hospitals, clinics, physicians' office, and dentists' office. They're not just health care providers, they're employers. They are drivers of the economy," said Spanberger.
She also weighed in on education, criticizing the Department of Justice's involvement at UVA and the need for education to be more fortified statewide.
"We have a board that is willing to just stand by, attack after attack, and then we have a system that doesn't allow the university to defend itself or bring in outside counsel," said Spanberger.
Early voting for the November general election begins Friday.
