SNAPSHOT: Photo of Virginia’s Next Lieutenant Governor Wrecks Dems’ ‘Racism’ Narrative
Images of Virginia’s new Republican lieutenant governor-elect have been widely shared on social media, as conservatives celebrated her victory and dunked on liberals crying racism.
THE SNAPSHOT
The photos of Winsome Sears, particularly one of her holding a rifle, began resurfacing on social media even before the candidate was formally projected as the winner in the election Tuesday — part of an electoral “bloodbath” for Democrats in the state and elsewhere.
Meet the new lieutenant governor of Virginia: https://t.co/n308n1728f
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) November 3, 2021
Commentators on the right cited the photos to debunk increasingly wild claims by Democrats and journalists that Republican Glenn Youngkin, Virginia’s governor-elect, and his voters are Trumpian racists.
Guess which one you support. https://t.co/hSA6Xka6aT pic.twitter.com/aIc5Cw40oO
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 3, 2021
For comparison, some also resurfaced the infamous blackface photo linked to outgoing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat.
THE WOMAN
Sears, an outspoken gun rights advocate and former Virginia lawmaker and U.S. Marine, immigrated to America from her native Jamaica at age 6.
- A mother of three, Sears will be the highest-ranking black female official in Virginia’s history.
- In addition to being the second-in-command in Richmond, Sears will serve as the president and tie-breaking vote in the state Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow advantage, at least until the 2023 election.
IN HER OWN WORDS
During her late-night victory speech Tuesday, Sears thrilled conservatives by letting out a Marine battle cry and describing her immigrant story as “the American dream.”
Working in politics full time going into a second decade now has made me beyond jaded. So maybe it’s just it’s the first thing in the morning and my guard is down, because I thought I could no longer be moved, but I actually got a little choked up watching this. https://t.co/erK8BGoEbC
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) November 3, 2021
After leading supporters in a chant of “U.S.A.!.” Sears called for unity against “some who want to divide us” by denying the American racial progress she embodies.
- “In case you haven’t noticed,” she said, “I am black, and I have been black all my life!”
- “You’re beautiful!” shouted someone in the crowd.
- Sears then promised to get down to business, outlining plans to cut taxes, bolster police and invest in education, because “education will lift us all out of poverty.”