Winsome Earle-Sears

Winsome Earle-Sears

Winsome Earle-Sears is the Republican Party’s statewide nominee for Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial race. Currently holding the position of Lieutenant Governor. She’s been endorsed by both of Virginia’s current statewide officials, Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, both belonging to the Republican party.

Earle-Sears' Background, according to Winsome for Governor 2025:

  • Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and immigrated to the United States of America at six years old.
  • Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a minor in Economics, and a Master in Arts in Organization of Leadership, concentrating on Government.
  • Previously a United States Marine, Vice President of the Virginia State Board of Education, and a presidential appointee at the US Census Bureau, as co-chair of the African American committee, as well as the Advisory Committee to the Women's Secretary of Veteran Affairs.
  • Elected in 2002 to a Black House of Delegates district, a first for Virginia since 1865.
  • Former program manager for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and VISTA volunteer,
  • Led a men’s prison ministry and as director of a women’s homeless shelter.

Affordability

According to Winsome Earle-Sears' official gubernatorial race website, she lists one of her main policies as reducing the cost of living.

Policy Points

  • She mentions achieving this by quote, ‘lowering taxes, cutting wasteful government spending, and removing harmful regulations.’ Here are some of the methods she plans to utilize to make Virginia more affordable:
  • Eliminating personal property tax on vehicles.
  • Due to possible Federal Funding cuts because of the ‘One Beautiful Bill’, Earle-Sears proposes an idea of using revenue reserves to make up for the federal funding loss.
  • During her time as Lieutenant Governor, she pulled out of the Greenhouse Gas Initiative to save money on the energy tax.
  • Supports giving local governments more flexibility regarding housing affordability.

Criticism of policy enforcement

  • Previously supported ‘The One Beautiful Bill,’ which cut Medicaid and other social welfare programs, potentially damaging the affordability for lower-income households.
  • Critics have opposed pulling out of the Greenhouse Gas Initiative, mainly due to its environmental effects.

Disclaimer: These are general concerns from the opposing party. Fact-check and do your own research.

Crime

Policy Points

  • Earle-Sears has outlined a platform on public safety that highlights law enforcement support and reform on criminal justice. She proposes this by:
  • The first 20k of law enforcement’s salaries won’t be taxed
  • Supports greater pushback to undocumented immigrants, proposing full cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
  • Supports rehabilitative opportunities for imprisoned individuals like more job opportunities, and further education.

Criticism of policy enforcement

  • Many believe that assisting ICE (Immigration Services) is controversial, and critics point out that this may risk the association of undocumented immigrants to crime, which may convey a negative message regarding immigrants in America.

Disclaimer: These are general concerns from the opposing party. Fact-check and do your own research.

Quality Education

Policy Points

  • Winsome has proposed education policies such as:
  • Proposing allowing lower-income children to use state funds for expenses such as tuition, textbooks, and other valid costs.
  • Advocacy for parents to promote more involvement in the decision-making by schools.

Criticism of policy enforcement

  • Critics highlight that Earle-Sears’ 2023 proposed ‘education success accounts’ could divert funding from public schools, instead supporting private educational institutions.

Disclaimer: These are general concerns from the opposing party. Fact-check and do your own research.

Protect Virginia’s Right to Work Policy

Position

  • Earle-Sears is a proponent and supporter of the right to work law.

Context

  • Right-to-Work is the law that makes it so that workers are not required to join a union upon employment.

Women’s rights

Policy Points

  • Policies around female-only sports being only for women assigned female at birth.
  • Advocacy for more protection for women in schools.

Criticism of policy enforcement

  • Earle-Sears is known for her stance against abortion, and critics argue that this could potentially restrict medical care for women that might require abortions as a medical treatment.
  • Many opposing sources have argued that her policies could be seen as excluding and discriminating against transgender individuals.

Disclaimer: These are general concerns from the opposing party. Fact-check and do your own research.