Winsome Earle-Sears

The neutral encyclopedia of notable people




Winsome Earle-Sears
BornWinsome Earle
11 3, 1964
BirthplaceKingston, Jamaica
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPolitician, businesswoman
Known forFirst female lieutenant governor of Virginia; first woman of color elected statewide in Virginia
Children3

Winsome Earle-Sears (born Winsome Earle; March 11, 1964) is an American politician and businesswoman who served as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2022 to 2026. A member of the Republican Party, she made history as Virginia's first female lieutenant governor and the first woman of color elected to statewide office in the Commonwealth of Virginia.[1] Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Earle-Sears immigrated to the United States as a child in 1970 and later served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986, attaining the rank of corporal.[2] She represented the 90th district in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2004, becoming the first Black Republican woman elected to the chamber.[3] After a period in the private sector and service on the Virginia State Board of Education, she won the 2021 election for lieutenant governor, defeating Democratic nominee Hala Ayala.[4] In 2025, she became the Republican nominee for governor of Virginia but was defeated by Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger.[5]

Early Life

Winsome Earle was born on March 11, 1964, in Kingston, Jamaica.[2] She immigrated to the United States in 1970 at the age of six.[3] Her family settled in the Bronx, New York, where she grew up.[6]

At the age of 19, Earle-Sears enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1983 to 1986.[2] She attained the rank of corporal during her time in the Marines.[2] Her military service became a defining element of her public identity and political career; during campaigns, she frequently referenced her service as formative to her character and her commitment to public duty.[7]

Earle-Sears was initially registered as a member of the Democratic Party before switching her affiliation to the Republican Party in 1988.[2] She has described her political evolution as rooted in her experience as an immigrant and her service in the military, as well as her views on economic opportunity and individual responsibility.[3]

After her military service, Earle-Sears settled in Virginia, where she would build her career in both business and politics. She later became a small business owner, operating an appliance repair business, and also served in various community and civic roles before entering electoral politics.[8]

Career

Virginia House of Delegates (2002–2004)

Earle-Sears entered electoral politics in 2001, running as a Republican for the 90th district seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing a portion of the city of Norfolk. She won the general election, defeating the incumbent and becoming the first Black Republican woman to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates.[3][9] Her victory was notable as a Republican win in a predominantly Democratic and majority-Black district, drawing attention from state and national Republican officials.[10]

During her single term in the House of Delegates, Earle-Sears served from January 13, 2002, to January 14, 2004.[11] She chose not to seek reelection to the seat and instead pursued higher office. She was succeeded in the 90th district by Algie Howell.[11]

2004 Congressional Campaign

In 2004, Earle-Sears ran for the Virginia's 3rd congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She faced incumbent Democratic congressman Bobby Scott in the general election. The race attracted attention due to Earle-Sears's profile as a Black Republican woman running in a heavily Democratic district.[12] She was defeated by Scott, who won reelection comfortably. Following the loss, Earle-Sears stepped away from electoral politics for more than a decade.[3]

Business Career and Civic Engagement

After her congressional loss, Earle-Sears turned her attention to the private sector and community service. She owned and operated a small appliance repair business in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.[8] She also engaged in philanthropic work, including involvement with a women's homeless shelter in Norfolk.[8]

From 2011 to 2015, Earle-Sears served as a member of the Virginia State Board of Education, appointed during the administrations of governors Bob McDonnell and Terry McAuliffe.[2] She served as vice president of the board from 2014 to 2015.[2] During her tenure on the board, she was involved in discussions around education policy in the commonwealth, including school choice and charter school expansion, issues she would continue to champion in subsequent political campaigns.[13]

Her small business was ultimately forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic, an event she frequently cited during her subsequent political campaigns as evidence of the economic hardship faced by small business owners during the pandemic.[3]

2018 U.S. Senate Campaign

In 2018, Earle-Sears made a brief return to electoral politics, running as a write-in candidate for the United States Senate seat in Virginia. She entered the race after the Republican primary had already concluded, positioning herself as an alternative to Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine and Republican nominee Corey Stewart.[14] She received a very small share of the vote in the general election.[15]

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2022–2026)

In early 2021, Earle-Sears launched a campaign for the lieutenant governor of Virginia as a Republican.[16] She won the Republican nomination, a result that drew national media attention given her background as a Jamaican-born, Black female Marine veteran running under the Republican banner.[6][3]

In the November 2021 general election, Earle-Sears faced Democratic nominee Hala Ayala, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Earle-Sears won the election, part of a broader Republican sweep of Virginia's statewide offices alongside gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin and attorney general candidate Jason Miyares.[4][17]

Her inauguration on January 15, 2022, marked a historic milestone: she became the first woman and the first Black person to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia.[1] In her role as lieutenant governor, she served as president of the Senate of Virginia, presiding over the chamber's proceedings. She served alongside Governor Glenn Youngkin throughout his term.[1]

As lieutenant governor, Earle-Sears was an advocate for school choice, including the expansion of charter schools in Virginia, a position that aligned with the broader education policy priorities of the Youngkin administration.[13] She also used her platform to speak on issues of economic opportunity, immigration, and veterans' affairs, drawing on her personal biography as an immigrant and military veteran.[8]

2025 Gubernatorial Campaign

During her term as lieutenant governor, Earle-Sears became a candidate for the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election, seeking to succeed Glenn Youngkin, who was constitutionally barred from seeking a consecutive term. She secured the Republican nomination for governor.[18]

The general election campaign against Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. representative, was closely watched as one of the few competitive gubernatorial races in 2025 and a potential bellwether for national political trends.[19] The race attracted attention for the historic nature of both candidacies: Earle-Sears sought to become the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state, while Spanberger sought to become Virginia's first female governor.[19]

Key issues in the campaign included abortion access, education policy, the economy, and the candidates' respective relationships with national political figures. Earle-Sears and Spanberger sparred publicly over abortion during a debate, with the race framed in national media as potentially influential on the future of abortion law in the only Southern state that had maintained broad access to the procedure following the Dobbs decision.[20]

The campaign was also marked by scrutiny of Earle-Sears's relationship with former president Donald Trump. Media outlets noted that Trump had not endorsed Earle-Sears, even as her Democratic opponents sought to tie her to the Trump political brand. CNN reported that political observers in Virginia watched closely for a Trump endorsement that ultimately did not materialize, reflecting what the outlet described as a "complicated" relationship between the two.[21]

Earle-Sears campaigned actively across Virginia in the closing weeks of the race, including a rally in Northern Virginia covered by C-SPAN.[22] She was defeated by Spanberger in the November 2025 general election. Following the loss, Earle-Sears wrote a Thanksgiving letter to her supporters, expressing gratitude for their efforts during the campaign.[5]

The Virginia Mercury, in its "On the Record" series during the campaign, examined Earle-Sears's positions on a range of policy issues, including energy, employment, and education.[23]

Personal Life

Earle-Sears was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and immigrated to the United States at the age of six with her family.[3] She has three children.[2] She resides in Virginia, where she has been active in community organizations, including work with a homeless shelter for women in Norfolk.[8]

Earle-Sears has spoken publicly about her faith and her identity as a Jamaican-American immigrant, frequently drawing on these themes in her political speeches and campaign appearances.[7] Her personal narrative—an immigrant who served in the Marine Corps, ran a small business, and rose to statewide office—became a central element of her public persona and her appeal to Republican voters in Virginia.[8]

She was initially a registered Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in 1988, a decision she has attributed to her evolving political views following her military service and her assessment of which party better aligned with her values on economic opportunity.[2]

Recognition

Earle-Sears's election as lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2021 was a milestone in the state's political history. She became the first woman and the first Black person to hold the office, breaking barriers in a commonwealth whose political history stretches to the colonial era.[1] Her election was part of a broader slate of Republican victories that year, but her individual achievement drew particular attention from national media outlets, including CNN and The Washington Post, as well as international outlets that noted her Jamaican origins.[24][3][6]

Her 2025 gubernatorial campaign further expanded her national profile. The 19th, a news outlet focused on gender, politics, and policy, noted that Earle-Sears was "quietly hitting new milestones for Black" candidates in American politics, as she sought to become the first Black woman elected governor in United States history.[19]

Her career has also been recognized in the context of her military service and her status as an immigrant who achieved significant political office. She has been cited in media coverage as an example of the diversity within the Republican Party, and her biography has been referenced in discussions about representation in American politics.[7][19]

Legacy

Earle-Sears's place in Virginia political history is defined by the barriers she broke as the first woman and first person of color to serve as lieutenant governor of the commonwealth. Her election in 2021 demonstrated the possibility of a Black, immigrant, Republican woman winning statewide office in a competitive Southern state, a combination of identities that challenged conventional assumptions about the American political landscape.[1][24]

Her career trajectory—from Jamaican immigrant to Marine Corps veteran to small business owner to statewide officeholder—became a frequently cited narrative in discussions about the American immigrant experience and social mobility. Her prominence within the Republican Party also contributed to broader conversations about the party's diversity and its appeal to minority voters.[3][19]

As lieutenant governor, she presided over the Senate of Virginia during a period of significant political debate on issues including education, abortion, and the state's relationship with federal policy. Her advocacy for charter school expansion and school choice reflected a broader national movement within Republican education policy circles.[13]

Her 2025 gubernatorial campaign, while ultimately unsuccessful, represented another historic candidacy. The race against Spanberger was one of the most closely watched elections in the nation that year, with implications for abortion access in the South, the direction of Republican politics in swing states, and the prospects for Black women candidates at the highest levels of state government.[20][19]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Winsome Sears to make history as first woman, Black woman to be Virginia's Lt. Governor".NBC12.2022-01-15.https://www.nbc12.com/2022/01/15/winsome-sears-make-history-first-woman-black-woman-be-virginias-lt-governor/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Winsome Earle-Sears' Biography".Vote Smart.https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/50766/winsome-earle-sears.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 "Virginia Republican nominee for lieutenant governor".The Washington Post.2021-05-11.https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-republican-nominee-lieutenant-governor/2021/05/11/58c9acce-b196-11eb-9059-d8176b9e3798_story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Virginia Lt. Governor Race: Hala Ayala vs. Winsome Sears Results".Business Insider.2021-11.https://www.businessinsider.com/virginia-lt-governor-race-hala-ayala-vs-winsome-sears-results-2021-11.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Winsome Earle-Sears pens Thanksgiving thank you letter to supporters".Cville Right Now.2025-11-26.https://cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-winsome-earle-sears-pens-thanksgiving-thank-you-letter-to-supporters/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Jamaican-born Winsome Earle-Sears wins Republican Party's nomination".Caribbean National Weekly.https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/jamaican-born-winsome-earle-sears-wins-republican-partys-nomination/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Lieutenant Governor Race in Virginia: Meet Republican candidate Winsome Sears".WJLA.https://wjla.com/news/elections/lieutenant-governor-race-in-virginia-meet-republican-candidate-winsome-sears.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Winsome Sears, Virginia lieutenant governor candidate".The Washington Post.2021-10-15.https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/winsome-sears-virginia-lieutenant-governor/2021/10/15/002d1004-26b9-11ec-8831-a31e7b3de188_story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "2001 November General Election Results".Virginia State Board of Elections.http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/c_08_090.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "GOP celebrates win in Virginia delegate race".The Washington Times.2001-11-23.https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2001/nov/23/20011123-031339-3266r/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Winsome Earle-Sears – Candidate Profile".Virginia Public Access Project.http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/41405.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "2004 November General Election Results".Virginia State Board of Elections.http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2004/Nov2004/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "LG Winsome Sears wants to expand charter schools".WSET.https://wset.com/news/local/lg-winsome-sears-wants-to-expand-charter-schools-sen-louise-lucas-opposes-siphoning-va-public-school-funds.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Former GOP state delegate wants Republicans to write in her name for U.S. Senate".The Roanoke Times.https://roanoke.com/news/politics/former-gop-state-delegate-wants-republicans-to-write-in-her-name-for-us-senate-instead/article_748cee1f-70fe-56a7-a625-713fdc3d0960.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "2018 November General Election Results – Congress".Virginia Department of Elections.https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2018%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Winsome Sears launches GOP bid for lieutenant governor".Richmond Times-Dispatch.https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/winsome-sears-launches-gop-bid-for-lieutenant-governor/article_bf7d5e47-c4fa-510f-b02b-e3acf5f8e739.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "2021 November General Election Results – Statewide".Virginia Department of Elections.https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20November%20General/Site/Statewide.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "VPM News' interview questions for Winsome Earle-Sears".VPM.2025-09-22.https://www.vpm.org/elections/2025-09-22/election-2025-winsome-earle-sears-governor-spanberger-energy-jobs-schools.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 "Winsome Earle-Sears has already made history. Can she do it again?".The 19th.2025-10-30.https://19thnews.org/2025/10/winsome-earle-sears-virginia-governor-campaign/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger spar over abortion in Virginia".PBS NewsHour.2025-10-20.https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/republican-winsome-earle-sears-and-democrat-abigail-spanberger-spar-over-abortion-in-virginia.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Trump snubs Virginia's GOP nominee for governor even as she's attacked as too 'MAGA'".CNN.2025-10-05.https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/05/politics/trump-winsome-earle-sears-endorse-virginia-governor.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Winsome Earle-Sears Campaigns in Northern Virginia".C-SPAN.2025-11-01.https://www.c-span.org/program/campaign-2025/winsome-earle-sears-campaigns-in-northern-virginia/668167.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "On the record: Winsome Earle-Sears".Virginia Mercury.2025-09-08.https://virginiamercury.com/2025/09/08/on-the-record-winsome-earle-sears/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Winsome Sears wins Virginia lieutenant governor race".CNN.2021-11-03.https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/03/politics/winsome-sears-virginia-lieutenant-governor-race/index.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

Retrieved from "https://biography.wiki/index.php?title=Winsome_Earle-Sears&oldid=1154"