Winsome Sears Wins Virginia GOP Nomination For Lt. Governor

VIRGINIA — Former Virginia Del. Winsome Sears, who served as the national chairperson of Black Americans to Re-elect President Trump, was declared the winner Tuesday night of the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in Virginia.

The Republican Party of Virginia held an “unassembled” convention on Saturday to choose the party’s nominees for statewide office.

Sears beat five other candidates, including former Del. Tim Hugo from Fairfax County and Virginia Beach Del. Glenn Davis. Davis is the candidate who filed a defamation lawsuit against an unknown defendant over a text message sent to voters who registered for the GOP convention that called him “a Gay Democrat.”

After a first round of ballots was counted Tuesday, Sears led with 32 percent, followed by Hugo with 23 percent and Davis at 20 percent. In the final round, Sears won with about 54 percent over Hugo.

Sears joins gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin and attorney general nominee Jason Miyares on the Republican ticket this fall. The Democrats are holding a primary election on June 8 to choose their nominees for statewide office.

RELATED: Youngkin Wins GOP Nomination For Governor, Trump's Endorsement

Sears, 57, served a single term representing parts of Hampton Roads in the House of Delegates, winning election in 2001. She did not seek reelection and now owns an appliance and plumbing repair business in the Winchester area. She came to the U.S. from Jamaica as a child and served in the Marines.

Sears was endorsed by state Sen. Amanda Chase, a far-right legislator who lost to Youngkin in her bid for the Republican nomination for governor.

On her campaign website, Sears says she is “unapologetically pro-life,” an “ardent supporter” of Second Amendment rights and a backer of school choice, including vouchers.

A photo on her Facebook page shows Sears carrying an assault-style rifle. The wording with the photo says: “Battle tested conservative. Semper Fi.”

"For too long, our Commonwealth has suffered under the abuses of Democrat leadership," Sears said in a statement in January announcing her candidacy. "Governor Northam and Lt. Governor Fairfax have eroded our most precious rights at every possible turn by championing infanticide and assaulting our Second Amendment rights."