Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears Makes Her Next Move and It's Big

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has fast become a favorite of Republicans and conservatives since her 2021 victory in Old Dominion alongside Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares. With her no-nonsense approach and her steadfast commitment to conservative ideals, Earle-Sears has endeared herself to the political right.

Now, Earle-Sears is taking the next big step and throwing her hat into the 2025 Virginia governor's race.

NEWS

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has filed paperwork to run for Virginia governor in 2025.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 5, 2024

Since Virginia's Constitution prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms, Youngkin is ineligible to run in 2025.

On Wednesday, Earle-Sears filed paperwork to run for the commonwealth's top spot.

Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears’ statement of organization – paperwork needed to launch a campaign – was accepted by the Virginia Department of Elections on Sept. 4.
Earle-Sears was expected to jump into the governor’s race and recently acknowledged she was exploring a run. She is the first Republican to submit paperwork to run for the party’s nomination in the 2025 election.
...
A former state delegate who represented Norfolk, Earle-Sears presides over the Virginia Senate in her role as lieutenant governor. Earle-Sears, the first Black Republican woman to be elected to the Virginia General Assembly, emigrated from Jamaica when she was a child and served in the Marines before running for office.

If she secures the Republican nomination, Earle-Sears will face off against U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) in November 2025.

Earle-Sears hasn't shared a formal announcement regarding her decision yet. However, she is hosting a "special event" Thursday evening at an oyster bar in Virginia Beach.

Join me today at Chick's Oyster Bar in Virginia Beach at 5pm!https://t.co/NCeadossbm pic.twitter.com/25kMGkDk1M
— Winsome Earle-Sears (@winwithwinsome) September 5, 2024

Checking in this morning as to how the news is being received from our favorite Foo from Twitchy:

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA *breathes* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA *breathes again* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! Let's do this! #VoteRed #KeepVARed https://t.co/QYEZE6oZpw
— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) September 5, 2024

It appears the news is being well-received. Keep doing what you're doing, Virginia.