Winsome Earle-Sears
By Joseph A. Wulfsohn
August 14, 2025
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., declined CNN’s invitation to hold a debate between herself and her GOP rival, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, for the commonwealth’s gubernatorial race.
CNN had invited both candidates for a debate to be held in late September or early October. Only Earle-Sears accepted the invitation.
According to her campaign, Spanberger wants only local outlets to host debates rather than national ones like CNN.
By Guest Columnist
August 13, 2025
This year, I have tailored my newsletters to focus on the upcoming election, specifically, where each candidate stands on the issues and what challenges are at stake. This is an election Virginians cannot afford to sit out, as its outcome will have a major impact on how our Commonwealth is governed. With that in mind, I want to focus on the powers of the Governor. Virginia’s system has several unique features that differ not only from our federal government but also from other state governments. It’s important for voters to understand exactly what the Governor’s powers are, how much control they have over state agencies, and how influential they are in the legislative process. Today, I am highlighting two powers that are especially unique to Virginia’s Governor. One of the most significant powers is the appointment of cabinet secretaries (formally, “Secretaries of the Commonwealth” refers to a specific constitutional office, but in practice, this term is often used to mean the Governor’s Cabinet members). These positions are crucial to the operation of Virginia’s agencies. In other states, some equivalent officials are directly elected by the people; however, in Virginia, they are appointed by the Governor and report directly to him, working closely with agencies to implement his policies. While their roles and titles often mirror those of federal cabinet secretaries, there are notable differences in how they are appointed and operate at the state level. In Virginia, both chambers of the General Assembly must agree to confirm a cabinet appointment. If one party controls the House of Delegates and the other controls the Senate, the process often results in concessions or the appointment of more bipartisan candidates. If the chambers cannot agree before the end of the legislative session, the Governor may make an interim appointment that lasts until the next session. These interim appointments are especially impactful because, unlike Congress, the General Assembly typically meets in regular session only once a year. This means a Governor could simply wait until the end of session to appoint someone without legislative approval, allowing that appointee to exercise full authority in the meantime.
By Princess Harrell
August 12, 2025
UPPERVILLE, Va. (7News) — In the 2025 Virginia governor’s race, Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears took her campaign to Northern Virginia on Monday, leading a “Women Win With Winsome” roundtable focused on women’s safety, fairness in sports, and protecting students in schools.
Roughly 100 people, mostly women, filled Buchanan Hall for the event. Speakers included state senator Tara Darant, Fairfax GOP chair Katie Gorka, former Miss Virginia Katie Rose, and others who raised concerns over safety, fairness, and a Title IX investigation into allegations that biological males were allowed in girls’ locker rooms in Northern Virginia schools.
“You can stand up and protect yourself unless a man decides to put on a dress and identify as a woman,” Rose said.
Earle-Sears also renewed her call for voters to remove Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, citing allegations that he released a repeat violent offender who later allegedly tried to abduct a 3-year-old at a mall.
By Henry Graff
August 11, 2025
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) — The Republican nominee for governor of Virginia is giving 12 On Your Side a wide-ranging interview.
Winsome Earle-Sears is launching a new Republican campaign slogan, “Operation Defend and Deliver,” ahead of the fall election.
“So Operation Defend and Deliver, you see it has a military type of title, I am a United States Marine after all, and it’s about defending what we’ve accomplished, defending the people and then continuing to deliver results,” said Earle-Sears.
The current lieutenant governor talked about the issues facing the next commonwealth governor.
Earle-Sears’ American Dream story will be delivered to voters in key markets on broadcast and cable television and statewide on digital platforms
Richmond, VA — Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears is making a bold statement in the 2025 race with a major, seven-figure television advertising investment in key markets, including Richmond and Norfolk, as well as on digital platforms statewide. The campaign’s first spot titled, “Seven Quarters,” begins airing today and introduces voters to the inspiring life story of Winsome Earle-Sears. From immigrating to America as a young girl with just seven quarters in her father’s pocket, to enlisting in the Marine Corps, building a small business, and raising a family founded on faith and sacrifice, Earle-Sears is living proof that the American Dream is alive and it is her mission to keep it that way for all Virginians.
“Seven Quarters” sets the tone for a campaign rooted in faith, family, and freedom. Offering Virginians a proven leader who has lived the American Dream and is ready to fight to protect it.
The ad begins airing today on broadcast and cable across key Virginia markets and statewide on digital platforms.
“A buck 75. When dad came to America, that’s all he had.
But, for a little girl in Jamaica, that little bit of change changed everything.
Dad drove taxis, saved every dime he could, and six years later legally brought us to America – saved me.
I joined the Marines because I was willing to give my life for this country that gave me the world. I met my husband, started a family and built a business.
I ran a homeless shelter, led a men’s prison ministry, and dealt with grief no parent should endure. I’m Winsome Earl Sears. I’m not a typical politician and I never will be. I’m a grandma, first generation American, and proud Marine.
I’m running for governor to keep Virginia the greatest place in the world to call home.”
Virginians across the Commonwealth get a dangerous preview of what a Spanberger governorship would look like
Richmond, VA – Abigail Spanberger’s close allies, Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, released another violent criminal illegal immigrant back into the community—despite his federal firearm conviction and allegations of violent crimes.
Fairfax County officials refused to cooperate with ICE and released the individual, putting law-abiding Virginians directly at risk. And this is not an isolated incident.
“This is what Spanberger’s Virginia looks like: criminals walk free, ICE is ignored, and law enforcement is undermined,” said campaign press secretary Peyton Vogel. “When you surround yourself with radical weak-on-crime allies like Descano and Kincaid, the consequences fall squarely on your shoulders. Time and time again, Spanberger proves to Virginians that she doesn’t take their safety seriously. This is just another example.”
Just this week, three Virginia Department of Corrections officers were stabbed in a brutal, premeditated prison attack involving five MS-13 gang members—all Salvadoran illegal aliens previously convicted of heinous crimes including murder and rape. This horrifying event underscores what happens when criminal illegal immigrants are allowed to slip through the cracks and reinforces the deadly consequences of sanctuary-style policies embraced by Spanberger and her allies.
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has consistently fought to end sanctuary policies, restore full law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and hold local officials accountable when they place political agendas above public safety.
Earle-Sears becomes Commonwealth’s first female and Black Republican nominee for governor
Richmond, VA — Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears today officially secured the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia, a historic victory that positions her as the Commonwealth’s first female and Black Republican nominee for governor.
“I am deeply grateful for the support of the tens of thousands of Virginians who worked to earn our campaign’s place on the ballot this fall,” said Earle-Sears. “The stakes in this race couldn’t be higher – we must continue our work to protect the Commonwealth from radical changes that would undo the progress we’ve made in restoring prosperity to Virginia. I will never stop fighting to make life more affordable, our schools stronger, and our communities safer. We’ve delivered important progress over the past four years, and we still have so much more to do. I am honored to serve as the Republican nominee in this race and will deliver a victory for every Virginian this fall.”
Earle-Sears, a mother, Marine, immigrant and small business owner, has built a reputation for strong, principled leadership and a results-driven approach. Since taking office in 2022, she has championed policies that lower costs, empower families, and protect individual freedoms. Her nomination sets the stage for a focused and energized campaign heading into the general election.
BACKGROUND:
Winsome Earle-Sear’s public service began in 2001 when she was elected to the House of Delegates, where she led efforts to improve education and expand opportunity.
Throughout her career, she has never shied away from hard decisions. As Lieutenant Governor, she led reforms across 13 medical boards, championed legislative change, and fought to increase educational freedom, scoring major victories for charter schools. Her commitment to public safety was clear when she stood up to hate groups like the KKK, reinforcing that burning a cross is not free speech, but a terrorist act.
Earle-Sears has also served our communities directly, including leadership roles at a men’s prison ministry and a women’s homeless shelter—proof that her convictions are not just political, but personal. Her nomination sets the stage for a determined campaign, focused on restoring opportunity, safety, and strength across Virginia.
With a legacy rooted in service and a future focused on solutions, Winsome Earle-Sears is ready to lead the Commonwealth forward. Now is the time for us to come together, unite around our shared values, and move Virginia forward together toward a brighter, stronger future for all.
Earle-Sears raises more in first quarter than any Republican gubernatorial candidate in Virginia History
Richmond, VA – The Winsome Earle-Sears for governor campaign today announced a record-setting fundraising haul for the election year’s first-quarter reporting period, raising over $3.1 million –– more than any Republican gubernatorial candidate in Virginia history. The feat is made even more impressive when contextualized by the compressed, five-week period Earle-Sears was allowed to fundraise following a nearly two-month required fundraising blackout period during the General Assembly’s legislative session. The unprecedented support underscores the growing strength and continued momentum behind Earle-Sears’s candidacy and her vision for the future of Virginia.
“Our campaign is proudly fueled by hardworking Virginians who want a leader who will cut taxes, defend parental rights, and keep our communities safe,” said Winsome Earle-Sears. “The threat of radical change that would turn our Commonwealth in the wrong direction is real and demands we fight back directly and aggressively. These record-breaking investments speak volumes about the enthusiasm to do just that and position us to both compete and win in November.”
Earle-Sears earned over 17,000 donations from across the Commonwealth and supporters of common-sense policies from across the country. This milestone continues to carve a decisive path to victory for Earle-Sears in November. With these record-breaking resources, the campaign is well-equipped to expand voter outreach and, ultimately, voter turnout.
Virginia Senate Democrats voted to block SB 746, choosing to protect drug dealers from felony homicide charges.
Richmond, VA – In a stunning display of misplaced priorities, Virginia Senate Democrats today voted unanimously to oppose SB 746, legislation that would have held drug dealers accountable when their illicit actions directly lead to the death of another person. SB 746, which classifies the unlawful distribution or manufacturing of Schedule I or II drugs resulting in death as felony homicide, is a common-sense measure to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis and give law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute those fueling this epidemic. Unsurprisingly, Democrat nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger stands in silence as her liberal allies in the General Assembly put drug dealers ahead of justice for victims and their families.
“Treating criminals like criminals is common sense –– unless, apparently, you’re a Democrat in the Virginia state Senate,” said Press Secretary Peyton Vogel. “Their failure to give law enforcement and their partners in the justice system the tools they need to prosecute drug dealers who callously steal innocent lives should frighten every Virginian at the prospect of Abigail Spanberger winning the governor’s race and bringing Democrats’ liberal agenda to life. The people of Virginia deserve leaders who will fight to keep them safe, not legislators who side with criminals.”
Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougal condemned the vote, emphasizing that public safety should never be a partisan issue.
“Virginia families are losing loved ones every day to fentanyl, yet Democrats have chosen to protect the criminals and drug dealers rather than deliver justice for victims,” said McDougal. “That’s just plain wrong. The stakes could not be higher, and we will not stop fighting to enact tough-on-crime policies that hold criminals accountable and protect our communities from the monsters that fuel this deadly epidemic.”
Law enforcement officials across Virginia have been sounding the alarm on the rise in fentanyl-related deaths and the urgent need for stronger penalties against dealers knowingly distributing lethal substances.
“The men and women on the frontlines of this crisis need every tool available to stop the flow of deadly drugs into our communities,” Greene County Sheriff Steven Smith said. “This bill would have provided a critical deterrent, but Senate Democrats chose to ignore the devastating impact this crisis is having on families across Virginia. This is a failure of leadership.”
“Fentanyl is killing Virginians at an alarming rate, and those responsible must be held accountable,” said Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy Carter. “Law enforcement officers are fighting every day to save lives, but when the General Assembly refuses to give us the means to prosecute these cases properly, it makes our job that much harder. This was an opportunity to stand up for victims and their families, and Democrats failed them.”
With overdose deaths reaching record highs, this vote is a stark reminder that the choice in the upcoming election is clear: stand with law enforcement and victims, or stand with criminals. The people of Virginia deserve leadership that prioritizes public safety and justice, not politicians who enable lawlessness.
RICHMOND, VA – The Winsome Earle-Sears for governor campaign today launched a new, hard-hitting video detailing Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger’s destructive record while in Washington. The ad spotlights Spanberger’s extensive record of siding with Washington liberals over hardworking Virginians and failing to deliver on critical issues like public safety and economic stability. As a result, America suffered. If Spanberger is elected governor, Virginia will fall victim to the same fate.
“Abigail Spanberger wasn’t just complicit in the destruction of America under Joe Biden –– she was a proud champion of the leftist agenda that tanked our economy, triggered a wave of violent crime, and dramatically diminished our standing in the world,” said Press Secretary Peyton Vogel. “The radical change in leadership that Spanberger’s candidacy represents would inflict severe harm in Virginian’s lives and turn our Commonwealth backwards.”
The ad underscores Spanberger’s support for reckless spending that has contributed to skyrocketing inflation, her weak stance on crime that has left communities vulnerable, and her alignment with radical policies. In contrast, Earle-Sears is running on a platform of economic prosperity, safer streets, and common sense.