Winsome Earle-Sears, the current Republican Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and candidate for governor, criticized socialism during a recent interview on FOX News with Lara Trump. When asked about Zohran Mamdani, Sears referenced her upbringing in Jamaica to highlight her views.
“Socialism destroys everything it touches. My family lived it in Jamaica with empty grocery shelves, no jobs, and no money. It failed there, and it’ll fail here too,” Sears said in a video shared on social media.
Sears immigrated to the United States legally in 1970 and later served in the United States Marines during the 1980s.
In the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial race, Sears is running against Democrat Abigail Spanberger. According to a new poll from Roanoke College’s Institute for Policy and Opinion Research, Spanberger currently leads with 46% of likely voters compared to 39% for Earle-Sears. Fourteen percent of respondents remain undecided, while one percent support another candidate. The poll also notes that Spanberger’s lead has narrowed since May when she held a 17-point advantage over Sears.
Harry Wilson, interim director of the Institute, commented on the shift: “Many Republicans seem to have ‘come home’ to Earle-Sears since the May poll, but Spanberger’s voters are slightly more enthusiastic about voting and more certain of their vote.”
The outcome of this race will determine Virginia’s next governor as both candidates continue their campaigns ahead of the election.
