DPVA Statement on Extremist Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears Running for Governor

On Sep 5th, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears announced her run for governor. Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears has a record of extremism, and she would push an extreme anti-abortion, anti-democracy, and anti-middle class agenda. 

Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker shared the following statement:

"Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has dedicated more time to boosting her far-right profile as an extremist on Newsmax and Fox News than actually addressing the needs of hard-working Virginians. If elected governor, she’d unleash her radical agenda: outlawing abortions, rolling back gun safety measures, dismantling LGBTQ+ rights, gutting healthcare for millions, and slashing funding for public schools. Her vision for Virginia? A divisive, toxic leadership that hurts the middle-class and tears us apart instead of bringing us together."

Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears’ Extreme Record Includes:

• Sears claimed that after a woman becomes pregnant the baby is not her body, saying, “she’s got her own body” and “the blood running through the veins of the baby don’t belong to her, it’s not her blood.”

• Sears has tried to base her staunch anti-choice extremism on the widely debunked conspiracy theory that abortion clinics “sell baby parts.”

• Sears has supported extreme abortion bans — similar to the Texas law banning abortion as early as six weeks.

• Sears is a longtime opponent of LGBTQ+ rights, previously running on her proud opposition to marriage equality.

• Sears campaigned with and celebrated the endorsement of E.W. Jackson, a staunch anti-LGBTQ+ bishop who has a long history of spewing hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ+ Americans.

• Sears has long supported stripping funding from public schools to funnel into unaccountable private and charter schools, leading the most recent legislative push to do so.