Virginia Republican Senate nominee?
$69.1K
AUG 11, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds — Virginia Republican Senate nominee?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
0%chance to win
$69.1KAUG 11, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleFormer Lieutenant Governor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age62 years old (Mar 11, 1964)
GenderFemale
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LocationVirginia
BackgroundPolitician
EducationAdlai E. Stevenson High School, New York (1982)
Notable personal detailsWinsome Earle-Sears is a Jamaican-born American politician and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served as lieutenant governor of Virginia, presiding over the Virginia Senate. She previously represented the 90th District in the Virginia House of Delegates (2002–2003). Her background includes public service roles tied to education and veterans’ issues, and she has worked in business and community ministries.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports cutting taxes and reducing government spending, proposing specific tax cuts such as eliminating Virginia’s car (personal property) tax and removing state taxes on tips; emphasizes building on prior tax cuts and cutting wasteful government spending. Policies focus on tax relief for working families and pro-business, deregulatory measures.
Healthcare
The candidate supports reductions in federal Medicaid funding and has defended recent Medicaid cuts; she has opposed statutory protections for contraception and IVF. Her public statements and campaign materials emphasize conservative, party-aligned approaches to healthcare funding and policy.
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Immigration & Border
Supports strict enforcement of immigration laws and close cooperation with federal authorities (including ICE); emphasizes removing undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes and opposes sanctuary policies. Frames her position through her experience as a legal immigrant while prioritizing public safety and law‑and‑order responses to immigration-related crime.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Winsome Earle-Sears opposes legal abortion and has stated she is morally opposed to measures that enshrine reproductive rights; she has described abortion in extremely negative terms and has supported strict limits on abortion with exceptions limited to the life of the pregnant person. She has participated in anti‑abortion events and left a handwritten note objecting to a Virginia constitutional amendment to protect abortion, contraception, and IVF access.
Climate & Energy
Supports an “all‑of‑the‑above” energy strategy that includes coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables; has criticized Virginia’s Clean Economy Act and backed removal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Positions prioritize expanded fossil‑fuel infrastructure and lower energy costs rather than aggressive emissions mandates.
Public Safety & Guns
Winsome Earle-Sears is publicly pro–Second Amendment and opposes many recent gun-control measures such as assault-weapons bans and strict storage requirements. She emphasizes law-abiding gun ownership for self‑defense and frames much gun violence as a problem of gangs/criminals rather than lawful owners. Her positions align with supporting law enforcement and resisting new restrictions on firearm ownership.
Latest News
Winsome Earle-Sears is in the news because Virginia is holding primary elections that will shape the 2026 midterm ballot, including key House and Senate races. The broader political backdrop is difficult for Republicans, with recent reports pointing to possible midterm losses and Democratic gains in special elections. Virginia’s redistricting fight is also part of the story, since the state’s congressional map and future seat balance could affect the election landscape.
Terrorist attacks fuel GOP push to crack down on legal immigration
Early voting underway for Virginians to weigh in on congressional redistricting plan
Early primaries test Trump’s influence and party loyalty
Republicans Brace for Midterms Massacre
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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- Endorsements
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