Behind the scenes ballots: Va. GOP pick their nominees
Winsome Sears, an âunapologeticâ conservative who was the first Black Republican woman elected to the Virginia General Assembly, captured the partyâs nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday night, outlasting former Del. Tim Hugo of Fairfax County in a fifth round of ballot counting from Saturdayâs state GOP convention.
Sears, who emigrated from Jamaica at age 6, joins Del. Jason Miyares, a Cuban American who is running for attorney general, on a GOP ticket headed by Glenn Youngkin, the partyâs nominee for governor.
Sears, 57, who served one term in the House of Delegates from 2002-2004, is seeking an achievement that is exceeding rare, if not unprecedented in modern Virginia politics â a return to elective office after an absence of 18 years.
In her campaign, she highlighted her more recent work as national chairperson for Black Americans to Re-Elect President Trump.
Sears led throughout multiple rounds of balloting under the ranked-choice voting system Virginia Republicans used for their nominating convention.
After a first round of ballots was counted Tuesday, Sears led with 32%, followed by Hugo with 23% and Davis at 20%. In the final round, Sears won with about 54% over Hugo.
More than 30,000 delegates cast ballots Saturday at what the party called an “unassembled convention.” Delegates ranked the candidates from first choice to last on the ballots they submitted.
Sears joins gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin and attorney general nominee Jason Miyares on the GOP ticket this fall. Republicans are hoping to end a 12-year losing streak in statewide races in Virginia.
Winsome Sears wins Virginia GOP nomination for lieutenant governor
By FOX 5 Digital Team
Published
Former Virginia Delegate Winsome Sears has been tabbed for the Virginia GOP s nomination for lieutenant governor.
RICHMOND, Va. - Former Del. Winsome Sears has secured the VirginiaRepublican nomination for lieutenant governor - and if she s elected, she d be the first Black woman to win statewide office in the Commonwealth.
Sears is a former Marine, whose campaign ad shows her holding an assault rifle.
She has served a single term representing parts of Hampton Roads in the House of Delegates nearly two decades ago but beat five other candidates including two more prominent state legislators.
Sears beat five other candidates, including two former Del. Tim Hugo from Fairfax County and Virginia Beach Del. Glenn Davis who were far more active in recent GOP politics.