Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said Thursday she will seek the Republican nomination for governor next year, setting the stage for one of the most historic contests in Virginia history.
Earle-Sears, who rode the GOP wave in 2021 into the second of the three highest political offices in the state, announced her candidacy at a rally in Virginia Beach. If no one else steps forward for the nomination, she would face presumed Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger, with the winner becoming the first woman to be a Virginia governor.
Should she win, the 60-year-old Earle-Sears would become the second Black person – and the first Black woman – to be the state’s chief executive.
In her announcement, accompanied by the release of a YouTube campaign video , Earle-Sears acknowledged the historical significance of her run. However, she said, more than history was at stake in the campaign.
“Yes, this is an opportunity to make history, but our campaign is about making life better for every Virginian right here, right now,” she said.