There is no doubt that while news in the weeks leading up to Virginia’s Tuesday election largely centered around the tight governor’s race between former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Younkin, the state’s new Lieutenant Governor-elect, Winsome Sears, has easily become the race’s breakout star.
Younkin and Sears celebrated their election wins in the early hours of Wednesday morning this week with Sears giving an unforgettable victory speech that highlighted her inspiring story that ultimately led to her now making history as the first black woman to be elected to any state office in Virginia as well as the first black person and the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor.
In a rip-roaring and inspiring speech, Sears stated she believes that God had been with her election team and praised the “sweet” name of Jesus.
“I’m telling you that what you are looking at is the American dream,” an elated Sears told the crowd at Youngkin’s campaign headquarters on Wednesday, flanked by her clearly very proud husband and two daughters.
Sears told the story of how her father immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1963 in the height of the Civil Rights movement because, despite the hardship faced by black Americans at the time, he knew it was where opportunities lay.
Now, she explained, he’s comfortably retired.
Sears’ father returned to Jamaica to bring young Winsome to this land of opportunity, and she would go on to serve in the Marine Corps because, as she said, she was willing to put her own life on the line to give back to the country that gave her and her family so much.
“When I joined the Marine Corps, I was still a Jamaican. But this country had done so much for me, I was willing, willing, to die for this country,” she told the cheering crowd, before leading them in a chant of “USA! USA!”
Declaring that in a time when so many are seeking to divide Americans, she and Youngkin have a day one plan she quipped she’s “already tired about” to ensure educational opportunities for all Virginians.
Education was a major factor in the closely-watched election, where ongoing controversy surrounding the Loudoun County, Virginia school board has poured gasoline on a raging national debate between parents and public school administrators over the appropriateness of topics like graphic sexuality, LGBT issues, and critical race theory in the classroom, among other issues.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I am Black. And I have been Black all my life, but that’s not what this is about,” Sears stated.
“What we are going to do now is be about the business of the Commonwealth,” she said. “We have things to tend to. We are going to fully fund our historically Black colleges and universities. We’re going to have safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good education.”
Ultimately telling the crowd “God bless you,” she thanked her “ragtag” election team for pushing her through to her historic victory.
“We ran an impossible, improbable campaign. … God was exactly with us, otherwise we would never have made it. And so I want to finish up by thanking you, Jesus,” she declared.
“How sweet it is!” she cried in conclusion.
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