Winsome Sears
Winsome Sears | |
---|---|
42nd Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |
Assumed office January 15, 2022 | |
Governor | Glenn Youngkin |
Preceded by | Justin Fairfax |
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 90th district | |
In office January 13, 2002 – January 14, 2004 | |
Preceded by | Billy Robinson |
Succeeded by | Algie Howell |
Personal details | |
Born | Winsome Earle March 11, 1964 Corporal |
Winsome Sears (née Earle; born March 11, 1964) is an American politician serving as the 42nd
Sears is the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia and is the first woman of color and first Jamaican-born American citizen elected to statewide office in Virginia.[2][3]
Early life, family and education
Sears was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on March 11, 1964. She immigrated to the United States at the age of six.[4] She grew up in the Bronx, New York City.[5]
Sears earned an
Career before politics
Sears served as an electrician in the
Political career
In November 2001, Sears upset 20-year
In 2004, Sears unsuccessfully challenged Democrat
Sears opened a home appliance business in Virginia after her 2004 election loss.[15]
Governor
In September 2018, Sears entered the race for U.S. Senate as a write-in candidate after Corey Stewart won the Republican nomination, citing his past alliances with white nationalists and other racial controversies.[17] She received less than 1% of the vote.[18]
During the 2020 United States presidential election campaign, Sears supported Donald Trump and was national chairwoman of the PAC "Black Americans to Re-elect the President."[19][20]
After Republicans heavily underperformed and Trump-endorsed candidates lost in critical battleground states in the 2022 midterms, Sears criticized Trump, calling him a liability on the party and said she would not support Trump in the 2024 presidential election.[21]
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
2021 lieutenant gubernatorial election
On May 11, 2021, Sears won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Virginia on the fifth ballot, defeating former state delegate and second-place finisher Tim Hugo 54% to 46%.[8] On November 2, 2021, she won the race along with gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin and attorney general candidate Jason Miyares.[22] She was inaugurated as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Virginia on January 15, 2022. She is the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia as well as the first black woman lieutenant governor and statewide officeholder in the Commonwealth.[2][3]
During the election campaign, she declined to state whether she had been vaccinated against COVID-19,[23] but she encouraged others to get vaccinated.[24]
Political positions
Abortion
During her campaign for lieutenant governor, Sears initially said she would support legislation similar to the
Cannabis
In 2021, Sears said she supported
Education
Sears has called for the opening of more
Sears has argued that
After COVID-19 interrupted schooling in the state, Sears floated the possibilities of having year-round school or longer school days to make up lost educational time.[35]
LGBT rights
Sears opposed
Gun rights
Sears supports
Personal life
Sears is married to Terence Sears.[42] She has had three daughters. One of Sears's daughters died in a 2012 car crash, along with Sears's two young granddaughters.[43] As of 2016, she and her family resided in Winchester.[44] She is a devout Christian,[45] and authored a Christian self-help book, Stop Being a Christian Wimp!, before entering politics.[46][25]
Electoral history
Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Virginia House of Delegates, 90th district | |||||
November 6, 2001[9] | General | Winsome Sears | Republican | 6,696 | 53 |
William "Billy" Robinson Jr. (incumbent) | Democratic | 6,017 | 47 | ||
Write Ins | 4 | 0 | |||
Republican defeated Democratic incumbent | |||||
Virginia 3rd congressional district | |||||
November 2, 2004[14] | General | Bobby Scott (incumbent) | Democratic | 159,373 | 69 |
Winsome Sears | Republican | 70,194 | 31 | ||
Write Ins | 325 | 0 | |||
Democratic incumbent held seat | |||||
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |||||
November 2, 2021[47] | General | Winsome Sears | Republican | 1,658,332 | 50.71 |
Hala Ayala | Democratic | 1,608,030 | 49.17 | ||
Write Ins | 3,807 | 0.12 | |||
Republican won Democratic held seat |
See also
References
- ^ "Will Winsome Earle-Sears become the first Black woman governor?". Politico. September 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Turner, Mikea (January 14, 2022). "Winsome Sears to make history as first woman - & Black woman - to be Virginia's Lt. Governor". WWBT. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c Duster, Chandelis (November 3, 2021). "Winsome Sears will become Virginia lieutenant governor, CNN projects, becoming first female and woman of color in the office". CNN. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- WJLA.com. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ McLeod, Sheri-Kae (May 24, 2021). "Jamaican-born Winsome Earle Sears Wins Republican Party Nod for Lieutenant Gov".
- ^ "Biography of Winsome Sears". VoteSmart.org. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Caine, Andrew (January 21, 2021). "Winsome Sears launches GOP bid for lieutenant governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- ^ a b Olivo, Antonio; Vozzella, Laura (May 12, 2021). "Winsome Sears, former state delegate, wins GOP nomination for Virginia lieutenant governor". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ a b "General Election – November 6, 2001". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- ^ "With victory, Sears broke down barriers". The Washington Times. November 23, 2001.
- ^ "Del. Sears visits Old Dominion class Tuesday". News at Old Dominion University. November 22, 2002. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- Norfolk, Va.: Associated Press. Archived from the originalon March 9, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
- ^ New Members Appointed to Committee on Women Veterans (press release), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (January 26, 2004).
- ^ a b "General Election – November 2, 2004". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ a b Paviour, Ben (January 13, 2022). "Virginia's first Black woman lieutenant governor says we need to move on from slavery". NPR.org.
- ^ Antonio Olivo, Back in the Virginia political spotlight, Winsome Sears seeks to lift GOP in bid for lieutenant governor, Washington Post (October 15, 2021).
- ^ Wilson, Patrick (September 18, 2018). "Former GOP state delegate wants Republicans to write in her name for U.S. Senate instead of voting for Corey Stewart". Roanoke Times.
- ^ "Official 2018 November General Election Results, Virginia". Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Now called "Black Americans Making America First."
- ^ Robertson, Campbell (December 27, 2021). "'I Look Like the Strategy': Winsome Sears Wants Black Voters to Rethink the G.O.P." The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ "Virginia's GOP lt. Governor won't back Trump in 2024: 'I just couldn't'". November 10, 2022.
- ^ Panetta, Grace; Seddiq, Oma (November 2, 2021). "Republican Winsome Sears defeats Hala Ayala in Virginia lieutenant governor's race". Business Insider. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ Pellish, Aaron (November 21, 2021). "Virginia's incoming lieutenant governor questions Covid vaccines for those who've had the virus before". CNN. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Olivo, Antonio (October 7, 2021). "Republican candidate's vaccination status becomes a target in Virginia lieutenant governor's race". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 26, 2022. Citing a October 7, 2021 Twitter post from Sears.
- ^ a b c Barakat, Matthew (November 13, 2021). "History-making Winsome Sears ready to work in Virginia". Associated Press. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c DeFusco, Jackie (October 29, 2022). "Virginia's choice for lieutenant governor could impact marijuana, abortion, gun control". wric.com. WRIC-TV. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ a b DeFusco, Jackie (June 28, 2022). "Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on future of abortion in Virginia". wric.com. WRIC-TV. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ DeFusco, Jackie (October 29, 2021). "Virginia's choice for lieutenant governor could impact marijuana, abortion, gun control". WRIC. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Jarvis, Brandon (August 11, 2021). "The retail legalization of marijuana could be significantly impacted by November's elections in Virginia". virginiascope.com. VA Scope. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Minock, Nick (February 13, 2022). "Va. Lt. Gov. wants to expand charter schools; Sen. Lucas against using public school funds". WSET-TVA. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Earle-Sears, Winsome (February 5, 2022). "Winsome Earle-Sears column: Creating a better education for Virginia's next generation". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
We can do that with an Education Savings Account, by utilizing the Virginia Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit, and by opening more charter schools, lab schools and virtual schools.
- ^ Nelson, Joshua Q. (January 17, 2022). "Winsome Sears rips critical race theory: 'Our children are not learning' in school". Fox News.
- ^ Fiske, Warren (August 10, 2021). "Youngkin offers little proof critical race theory is in 'all' Virginia schools". Politifact.
- ^ "If Critical Race Theory means that telling a child that once you emerge from the womb you are a racist and a colonizer and whatever else, that's not going to be good. That's going to create morale problems for everybody. ... If we're going to teach about African American history, why just keep it to one month? Let's teach it throughout. Let's talk about these things. You can't escape history. Let's talk about the good, the bad and the ugly." (Duster/CNN, 2021)
- ^ "Year-round school? Longer days in the classroom? How to make up the learning loss deficit". ABC 7 News. February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Ley, Ana (January 21, 2010). "Winsome E. Sears, once a local Republican on the rise, announces bid for lieutenant governor". The Virginian-Pilot.
- ^ Carroll, Fred (October 12, 2004). "Candidates Clash in Debate". Daily Press.
- ^ Sears, Winsome (March 22, 2004). "Another Voice: Marriage Deserves Preservation". Daily Press. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
- ^ "Youngkin's comments raise questions on same-sex marriage future in Virginia". WAVY.com. July 13, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Carey, Julie (May 14, 2021). "Va. GOP Nomination for Lt. Gov. Draws Controversy With Campaign Photo of Rifle". NBC Washington. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ "Winsome Sears clinches the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, rounding out the Republican ticket". Prince William Times. May 11, 2021.
She may be most known for a campaign photo showing the former Marine posing with a military rifle.
- ^ Mirshahi, Dean (January 15, 2022). "Winsome Sears, the first woman of color to hold statewide office in Virginia, sworn in as lieutenant governor". wavy.com.
- ^ Clayton, Cindy. "Ex-local delegate loses three relatives in fatal wreck". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
- ^ "Sterling Women of Winchester: Past Events". sterlingwomen.org. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- ^ Olivo, Antonio; Vozzella, Laura (January 22, 2022). "Virginia lieutenant governor Earle-Sears makes her mark in Richmond during tumultuous first week". Washington Post.
- ^ Robertson, Campbell (December 27, 2021). "'I Look Like the Strategy': Winsome Sears Wants Black Voters to Rethink the G.O.P." New York Times.
- ^ "General Election – November 2, 2021". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
External links
- Campaign website
- Lieutenant governor's website
- "Winsome E Sears". Virginia Public Access Project.
- Ferguson, Malcolm (August 18, 2021). "'Who knew Nixon was a homeboy?' A Q&A with lieutenant governor hopeful Winsome Sears". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- Appearances on C-SPAN