Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) has officially submitted paperwork to run for governor in the upcoming election.
The Virginia Department of Elections accepted Sears' documentation on Wednesday. Her team also announced a “special announcement” event in Virginia Beach on Thursday, accompanied by a 90-second campaign video titled “Ever Forward.” The video highlights her journey as a first-generation Jamaican immigrant and her potential to become the first Black woman governor in the U.S.
Sears, a charismatic Republican and stalwart conservative, is the first GOP contender to jump into the off-year election, which is already shaping up to dominate political headlines next year. Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) launched her campaign for the governor's seat late last year.
A match-up between Sears and Spanberger would be historic, as Virginia has never had a female governor. Sears, a former state delegate, is the first woman of color and second woman to hold statewide office in Virginia.
In 2021, Sears and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) shifted Virginia's political landscape by flipping the blue-leaning state after President Biden's 2020 victory over Donald Trump. Their campaign focused on public school curriculums and what they called parents' rights in education.
However, Democrats have remained strong competitors in both off-year and on-year elections. In 2022, Republicans won one of Virginia's swing districts, with former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) losing her Virginia Beach-anchored seat to Jen Kiggans.
READ NEXT: Election Guru Predicts Trump Will Secure Electoral College
Winsome is awesome!