Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears announced her bid to succeed term-limited Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025, telling Fox News that she wants to build on her fellow Republican’s record of revitalizing the Old Dominion’s economy.
Earle-Sears, if successful in the primary, will potentially face Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., if the similarly prominent Virginian wins the Democratic primary.
“We really have to win, because the other side is wanting to do all kinds of machinations and so many ‘gotcha’ stuff that’s not going to help propel Virginia forward,” Earle-Sears said on Friday.
Sears said that Youngkin’s single term has laid a “great foundation” for a like-minded successor.
WINSOME EARLE-SEARS ON SUPREME COURT RULING: CHINA ISN’T ‘PLAYING STUPID GAMES’ ON RACE
Former Republican Delegate Winsome Earle-Sears celebrates winning the race for Lt. Governor of Virginia as she introduces then-Republican candidate for Governor Glenn Youngkin during an election night party in Chantilly, Virginia, on Nov. 3, 2021. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst (REUTERS/ Jonathan Ernst)
“We’ve got to keep building on that. We have had corporate headquarters that have moved here — even from overseas. We have grown businesses here. We have been an incubator for business,” Earle-Sears said on “Fox & Friends.”
“It’s all about business, because that’s where the money comes from, so that we can have the beautiful things we like; the quality of life, the schools, the roads, the bridges, all of that.”
Speaking with Fox News Digital, a Youngkin spokesman similarly praised Earle-Sears and called her a “steadfast partner” over the past four years.
“Governor Youngkin is squarely focused on helping Republicans win in Virginia in 2024, because this election is about strength versus weakness — a strong economy, a secure border and strong America,” Justin Discigil said Friday.
FORMER VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR PRAISES GLENN YOUNGKIN
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivers the VCU commencement address in Richmond, Virginia, May 11, 2024. (Parker Michels-Boyce for The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Parker Michels-Boyce for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“The 2025 election will be about continuing the extraordinary results from commonsense policies that are making Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family versus returning to the failed extremism of the left-progressive agenda.”
Earle-Sears, who emigrated from Jamaica as a youth, would be the first Black woman to hold such an office in Richmond.
She served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was previously a state legislator from Virginia Beach. Earle-Sears noted Friday that her initial win there had been a major upset in a majority-Democratic district.
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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, signs executive orders in the Governor’s conference room as Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, left, Suzanne Youngkin, second from left, Attorney General Jason Miyares, second from right, and Secretary of the Commonwealth, Kay Cole James, right, look on at the Capitol Saturday Jan. 15, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
“I only had three months to run and no money,” she said.
“When you have the right ideas, and when you know the voters have given you a mandate to run, to move forward, then you’ve just got to press forward,” she said on Fox News Channel.
“You have hostile legislators who want to stop you [in] every way because they’re thinking you’re going to get a win — but the win is for the people.”