How this week's elections in Virginia became about ... everything

Several late-breaking surprises have shaken up what political watchers thought would be a quiet race in Virginia.

The commonwealth's gubernatorial race — one of just two held the year after presidential elections — is often seen as a temperature check on how voters feel about leaders in Washington.

Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee and former congresswoman, has maintained a lead in polls since very early in the race over Republican nominee Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

But this year, while voters' top concerns are energy prices, housing affordability and jobs, the rest of the race has become a referendum on everything from political violence to redistricting.

Here, public media journalists across Virginia take us into each issue.

DOGE and the federal government shutdown