Can a Black Woman Governor Save Virginia — or Set It Back?
From the South to the U.S., Winsome Earle-Sears wants to make history. However, her record reveals deep contradictions and controversies.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) has officially announced her run for governor.
If elected this November, she would become the first Black woman governor in United States' history. Her campaign, fueled by patriotic messaging and a commitment to conservative values, positions her as a symbol of upward mobility and representation.
But in the cradle of the South, where the weight of history hangs heavy and racial progress is often politicized, her bid raises deeper questions.
A Story of Service and Firsts
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Earle-Sears immigrated to the United States at age six and later served as an electrician in the U.S. Marine Corps. After her military service, she ran a Salvation Army homeless shelter and earned advanced degrees in English and organizational leadership.
In 2001, she became the first Black Republican woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, and in 2021, she became the first woman of color elected to statewide office in Virginia.
Now, with her party's nomination in hand, Earle-Sears is set to challenge Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger in what could be one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races of 2025.
A Conservative Icon in the Making
Earle-Sears has become a rising star in Republican politics by embracing a strong conservative platform. She supports a 15-week abortion ban, expanded charter school options, and has been openly critical of critical race theory.
To her supporters, she represents the American Dream realized — an immigrant, a veteran, and a Christian mother who climbed the ranks through faith, hard work, and self-reliance.
But her record and rhetoric tell a more complicated story.
A Trail of Controversies
Earle-Sears' political career has not been without controversy. In February 2024, she drew national attention when she misgendered VA State Senator Danica Roem during a legislative session, referring to her as “sir.” Roem walked out, and although Earle-Sears later issued an apology, critics questioned her sincerity and commitment in representing all Virginians. Just months later, she garnered further backlash by launching a campaign slogan that read, “Don’t Maryland My Virginia,” a swipe at Maryland's progressive policies.
She also came under fire in early 2025 for comments about federal layoffs. As the DOGE downsized hundreds of positions — many held by veterans in Virginia — Earle-Sears appeared to downplay the impact, saying, “It happens to everybody all the time.”
Her stance on abortion and participation in anti-abortion rallies has also aligned her with the extremes of the Republican Party. And while she once distanced herself from Donald Trump following the 2022 midterms, calling him a “liability,” her recent rhetoric suggests a quiet pivot back as she courts the MAGA vote in a competitive election year.
In a newly released audio clip, Earle-Sears is heard saying that Donald Trump’s tariffs are “good” and “a benefit,” despite widespread reports that the tariffs have raised prices for Virginia families and small businesses. The comments, made behind closed doors, quickly went viral after being published by the Virginia Democratic Party and boosted by American Bridge 21st Century.
The Virginia Wildcard
Though Virginia has leaned blue in recent presidential elections, its gubernatorial races are famously unpredictable. The state often elects governors from the opposite party of the sitting U.S. president, and with Joe Biden in office, history suggests a Republican could win.
Still, Earle-Sears will need more than identity and conservative buzzwords to prevail. The suburbs around D.C. and Richmond have grown more diverse and progressive. To win, she must thread a needle — mobilizing a conservative base while also not alienating moderate, suburban, and independent voters.
While she has received some support, her previous remarks have angered MAGA loyalists, many of whom have already accused her of abandoning Trump. “She flipped on Trump,” one user wrote under her announcement post. Another declared, “She will lose because she turned her back on MAGA.”
Symbolic or Substantial?
Earle-Sears’ candidacy is historic. But for many in Virginia’s Black communities and across the South, the question isn’t whether her election would be symbolic. It’s whether it would be substantial.
What does it mean to be the first Black woman to govern a Southern state if your policies undermine the very communities you claim to represent? What are the costs of becoming the face of a party that has, for decades, opposed voting rights expansion, educational equity, and reproductive freedom?
Winsome Earle-Sears may be poised to make history. But the kind of history she’ll make — and who it serves — well, we’ll have to wait and see what the South has to say about that.
13 & South is a new publication covering news, investigative stories, and insights on social justice, policy, and systemic inequities impacting Southern Black communities. I value your insights, and feedback and invite your perspectives to contribute to future issues. Please feel free to contact me here or follow me on my socials! LinkedIn, Twitter, IG, BlueSky, Medium, and Threads.
Imma say this with my WHOLE chest: NO BLOODY WAY will Va. elect her!!! She’s Youngkins little female stepin fetchit!! When he goes, she does too!!!
Martin Luther King, Jr. had the Lt. Gov.figured out in 1964. Uh where do I send my check to the Spanberger campaign?
:Negroes are human, not superhuman. Like all people, we have differing personalities, diverse financial interests and varied aspirations. There are Negroes who will never fight for freedom. There are Negroes who will seek profit for themselves alone above the struggle. There are even some Negroes who will go to the other side. These facts should distress no one.
Every minority and every people has its fair share of opportunists, freeloaders, traitors and escapists. The hammer blows of poverty, racism and segregation must warp and corrupt some. No one can pretend that just because a people are oppressed every individual is virtuous and worthy.
The real issue is whether in the great mass the dominant characteristics are decency, honor and moral courage."