Spanberger defeats Trump-endorsed Vega in pivotal Virginia congressional race

After a closely contested race, Abigail Spanberger has been re-elected to the U.S. House to represent Virginia's 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.

Spanberger defeated her Republican challenger Yesli Vega by a close margin. Vega conceded the race Wednesday morning. 

"We gave it our all, but came up a little short last night," Vega said in a statement. "I want to congratulate the Congresswoman on a hard fought win." 

The race, featuring two women with law enforcement backgrounds — one a centrist Democrat and a star in her state party, the other a local elected official who hoped to become Virginia’s first Latina member of Congress — was a nail-biter in the final stretch.

While votes continue to be tallied nationwide, many believe Spanberger's victory could help determine party control of the House in 2023.

READ MORE: Pivotal race for Virginia's 7th Congressional district heats up

Spanberger, who has also worked for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, has represented Virginia’s 7th District since she flipped the GOP-held seat in 2018 as part of a Democratic wave that retook control of the U.S. House. But the district was overhauled during last year’s redistricting.

Spanberger, 43, has run as a bipartisan consensus builder, touting endorsements from a Republican police chief, former Republican congressman and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She’s also emphasized her office’s constituent services and legislative priorities, including a stock trading ban for members of Congress.

Her Congressional experience includes serving on the House Agriculture Committee and also sitting on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She said she was proud to have voted for key pieces of the Biden agenda, including the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act.

The Associated Press contributed to this report