Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) may be an intellectual lightweight with the charisma of a room-temperature cucumber, but that’s never stopped a politician from finding success as a nonthreatening centrist. 

Many of the governors with the highest approval ratings in the country have carved out appealing governing strategies in the mushy middle, diligently avoiding acts of blatant partisanship. Republican Gov. Phil Scott in blue Vermont, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in red Kentucky, and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in purple Pennsylvania all come to mind.