Winsome Earle-Sears Vows to Keep Virginia Red in Tight Gubernatorial Race

Richmond, VA – Virginia’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears clinched the Republican gubernatorial nomination on Tuesday, stepping into the spotlight as a candidate determined to keep the Commonwealth red. In an exclusive chat with WTFNewsRoom, she called herself a "non-conventional candidate" with a mission to unite voters across Virginia’s diverse political landscape.

Earle-Sears emphasized safety as the cornerstone of leadership. "If people aren’t safe, we can’t even start talking about jobs, schools, or housing," she said, stressing that secure communities are the foundation for progress. Her platform resonates with a promise to listen, especially to those in overlooked regions like southwest Virginia, where she plans to open a second governor’s office to bridge the gap between rural communities and the state capitol.

Her personal story is compelling: arriving in the U.S. as a child with her father, who had just $1.75, she now stands as Virginia’s lieutenant governor. "Here I am, second-in-command in the former Confederate capital," she declared at Richmond’s Hippodrome Theater. "America has changed, and I’m proof."

Earle-Sears is locked in a tight race against Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman who recently rallied supporters at her Henrico County high school. Spanberger, trailing by a slim margin, leaned on her roots, vowing to expand opportunities for all Virginians. Yet Earle-Sears, with a nod to her opponent, quipped that Spanberger should check her rearview mirror: "Objects are closer than they appear."

Her campaign blends common-sense conservatism with an inclusive appeal. "No matter your background, if you’re here and working hard, you’re part of Virginia’s future," she said, aiming to win over even traditionally Democratic voters in areas like Northern Virginia.