Winsome Sears | |
|---|---|
 Sears in 2021 | |
| 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |
| Assumed office January 15, 2022 | |
| Governor | Glenn Youngkin |
| Preceded by | Justin Fairfax |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 90th district | |
| In office January 13, 2002 – January 14, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Robinson |
| Succeeded by | Algie Howell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Winsome Earle March 11, 1964 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1988)[1] Republican (1988–present) |
| Spouse | Terence Sears |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Winchester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Tidewater Community College (AA) Old Dominion University (BA) Regent University (MA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1983–1986 |
| Rank |  Corporal |
Winsome Sears (née Earle; born March 11, 1964) is an American politician and Marine Corps veteran serving as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Virginia. A member of the Republican Party, Sears served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2004. She also served on the Virginia Board of Education, and she ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia's 3rd congressional district in 2004 and for U.S. Senate in 2018. In 2021, Sears was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia. Sears is a candidate for the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election.
Sears is the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia and is the first woman of color and first Jamaican-born American citizen elected to statewide office in Virginia.[2][3]
- ^ "Will Winsome Earle-Sears become the first Black woman governor?". Politico. September 8, 2023.
- ^ Turner, Mikea (January 14, 2022). "Winsome Sears to make history as first woman - & Black woman - to be Virginia's Lt. Governor". WWBT. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ Duster, Chandelis (November 3, 2021). "Winsome Sears will become Virginia lieutenant governor, CNN projects, becoming first female and woman of color in the office". CNN. Retrieved November 3, 2021.