ROANOKE, Virginia – Winsome Sears made a campaign stop as a part of her statewide RV tour in Roanoke on Thursday. The former Delegate is seen by many as an insurgent candidate in the wide-open race for Lieutenant Governor.
Sears served in the United States Marine Corps as an electrician. She was elected in the early 2000’s to a majority-minority district in the Hampton Roads area to the Virginia House of Delegates. She was a member of the State Board of Education, and under President George W. Bush, Sears served on the U.S. Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
Technically, this is her second statewide race. In 2018, Sears ran a write-in campaign for the United States Senate seat in Virginia, because she considered the Republican nominee Corey Stewart a “charlatan.” She told the Richmond Times-Dispatch during that campaign that Stewart, “He does not represent the party of Lincoln. … He is not a true Republican.”
In 2020, Sears worked to raise African-American turnout as the Chairman of Black Americans to Re-Elect the President for then-President Donald Trump.
The Marine Corps veteran says on her website her top campaign issues include being pro-life, support of the 2nd Amendment, parental school choice, and re-opening the economy. Her most in-depth policy proposal involves Voter ID requirements, regular updates in the voter roles, stricter guidelines on mail-in voting, enforcing rules requiring American-made voting machines, and “unrestricted access to the voting process.”
Under the watchful eye of Trump Wisconsin alum and Campaign Manager Andrew Leppert, the former Marine campaigned at Wasena Park. Under the late April sun, Sears made a fervent pitch to delegates, stating that she was the only person that could win the November general election.
Following her speech, the Republican candidate spoke with The Virginia Star about why Republicans should decide to support her, saying, “We have to bring in new votes…we are hitting a wall. We need new voters to cross the finish[line].” Sears spoke of helping President Trump raise African American turnout and how it was necessary to win in Virginia.
Sears faces Delegate Glenn Davis, former Delegate Tim Hugo, Lance Allen, Puneet Ahluwalia, and Maeve Rigler in the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia Unassembled Convention. The Convention will be held May 8th, 2021 from 9am and 4pm at 39 polling locations.
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Matt Colt Hall is a reporter for The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow Matt on Twitter at @MattColtHall on Twitter. Send tips to [email protected].
