Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger’s Victory Speeches Highlight the Power of Family Support for Working Moms

In their victory speeches, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger reminded us that ambition doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens with family support, messy bedrooms, and a lot of love. When New Jersey Governor-elect Sherrill took the stage on election night, she didn’t just thank her campaign team. She thanked her family, the people who made her public service possible.

“Thanks to my family who put up with missed soccer games, lacrosse games, football games, volleyball games, swim meets, and rugby games,” she said, smiling as she recounted the long list. “And a special thanks to my husband, Jason—through four kids, two dogs, a hamster, numerous goldfish, five campaigns, an insurrection, and two impeachments. You have been a truly amazing partner.”

It wasn’t the usual political thank-you. It was a nod to the invisible scaffolding that holds up every working mom’s big dream: the family that flexes, the partner who steadies, the household that absorbs the chaos so she can chase something bigger.

A few hundred miles away in Virginia, another governor-elect, Abigail Spanberger, struck a similar chord. “To my husband, Adam,” she said, “my partner in everything, I love you with my whole heart. Every adventure we have ever been on has been worth it because you have been by my side.”

Then, turning to her daughters, she delivered one of the most relatable lines of the night. “Claire, Charlotte, and Catherine, you inspire me every single day. And Catherine, you did not clean your room today as you promised me.” The crowd erupted in laughter as her daughter jokingly clapped back, and Spanberger added, “If I was working on it, we would not have won this election, okay?”

It was the kind of moment that working moms everywhere recognized immediately. It was a wink to the balance, the humor, and the teamwork that make it all work.

Both women’s speeches captured something bigger than politics. They reminded us that ambition and motherhood don’t cancel each other out. They can coexist beautifully when there’s a foundation of support.

That foundation matters more than most people realize. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that women with strong family and partner support are significantly more likely to pursue leadership roles and report greater job satisfaction. Another from Harvard Business School found that children of working mothers—especially daughters—are more likely to grow up confident and successful in their own careers. 

For ambitious moms, those findings reinforce what Sherrill and Spanberger showed us in real-time. Success isn’t just an individual story. It’s a collective one. It’s in the partners who cheer you on through late nights and early mornings. It’s in the kids who see you working hard and learn what’s possible. And yes, sometimes, it’s even in the unmade bed or the messy room; just small reminders that perfection isn’t required for progress.

Sherrill and Spanberger’s words weren’t just about thank-yous; they were love letters to the people who make it possible for women to lead. They reminded us working moms everywhere that it’s okay to lean on your village. Plus, that your ambition isn’t a burden on your family, it’s an expansion of your family pride.

So, kids, take it from Governor-elect Spanberger. Clean your room. Your mom might be out there changing the world.