Winsome Sears Makes History As VA Lt Governor

Winsome Earle Sears, a Jamaican-born immigrant, made history on Jan. 15 when she was sworn in as lieutenant governor of Virginia.

The mother of three and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Sears, a Republican, has become the first woman to be elected to the office of lieutenant governor in Virginia.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, her parents immigrated to the U.S. when Sears was six, and Sears grew up in the Bronx, New York City.

Trained as an electrician, she served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983-1986, and she eventually married a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Terence Sears.

The couple owns and operates an appliance and plumbing repair store in Winchester.

Tragically, one of Winsome’s daughters and two of Winsome’s young granddaughters were killed in a car crash in 2012.

Before running for public office, Winsome ran a shelter for the homeless.

Born on March 11, 1964, Winsome has become the first Jamaican woman to hold statewide office in Virginia, the Capitol of the Confederacy.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Winsome earned her B.A. degree in English with a minor in economics from Old Dominion University and her M.A. degree in organizational leadership from Regent University.

Now as Virginia’s 42nd lieutenant governor, she has attained national prominence just as Douglass Wilder did when he was elected as the first Black Governor in the U.S.

Winsome found success in the political arena in Nov. of 2001 by upsetting 20-year incumbent, Billy Robinson (D) while running for the 90th district seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates.

Her victory made history then as well as she became the first female veteran and first naturalized citizen delegate to serve in Virginia’s House of Delegates.

In 2004, Winsome was appointed by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.

Also in 2004, Winsome ran for Virginia’s 3rd congressional district seat, but she lost to Bobby Scott (D) after receiving only 31 percent of the vote.

Governor Bob McDonnell (R) appointed Winsome to the Virginia Board of Education in 2011.

On May 11, 2021, Winsome won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Virginia on the 5th ballot, and on Nov. 2, 2021, she won the race on the Republican ticket with gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin.

Winsome, 57, now serves as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Virginia.