Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) is under growing fire from within her own party after invoking slavery to attack diversity programs, fueling Republican fears that her gubernatorial campaign could collapse before it gains traction.
Earle-Sears, who was born in Jamaica and is seeking to become the first woman and second Black governor of Virginia, sent a campaign fundraising email tying American slavery to modern-day diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives — a move that shook Republican circles already wary of her hard-line stances and weak campaign infrastructure.
“Slaves did not die in the fields so that we could call ourselves victims now in 2025,” the email read. “Democrats think minorities can’t succeed without DEI.”
It also referenced Virginia as “the former capital of the Confederacy.”
While the campaign later claimed it did not author the message and refused to say who did, the same language remains publicly posted on her WinRed fundraising site. And a video from 2023 shows Earle-Sears making nearly identical statements at a live event.
The controversy didn’t emerge in a vacuum — the email is now seen as part of a pattern of polarizing positions threatening her viability in a high-stakes gubernatorial race. Nearly a dozen Republican strategists and officials in Virginia say the campaign’s slow fundraising, lack of grassroots energy, and poor outreach to swing voters have created a mounting crisis.
“She’s off to a shaky start, and in a state like Virginia, that’s not a luxury you can afford,” longtime Republican strategist Jimmy Keady told Politico. “When the White House is in Republican hands, Virginia becomes even harder. You need momentum, discipline, and message control — and right now, they’ve got none of that.”
Earle-Sears’ hard-line views on social issues have also drawn criticism from within her party. As lieutenant governor, she has taken unprecedented steps to distance herself from progressive legislation — even when legally required to process it. She added handwritten notes of moral objection to two major bills: one enshrining abortion rights into the state constitution and another prohibiting discrimination in marriage licensing based on sex, gender, or race.
In the case of House Bill 174, which affirms marriage equality, Earle-Sears wrote, “I remain morally opposed to the contents of HB174 as passed by the General Assembly.” The bill was sponsored by Del. Rozia Henson (D), an openly gay Black lawmaker from Prince William County.
“She knows I’m an openly gay Black state representative, so the fact that she wrote something personal on my bill, knowing me and my family — that was disheartening,” Henson said.
Despite clashing with Democrats, the internal party rift deepens with Earle-Sears’ strained relationship with Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid, an openly gay MAGA-aligned candidate whose presence on the ticket complicates the GOP’s messaging in the suburban battlegrounds where Democrats have gained ground.
Kay Coles James, the former president of the Heritage Foundation and a respected GOP figure in Virginia, acknowledged the rough start but urged caution.
“There are those kinds of glitches — you manage them, you move forward,” she said. “I’m not in panic mode yet.”
But concern is growing. The GOP is already facing resistance statewide due to President Donald Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce — a major employer in Virginia — and Earle-Sears’ messaging has done little to broaden appeal in the crucial suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, Democrats are unified.
Former CIA officer and three-term Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger has secured the Democratic nomination after no challengers filed by the state’s deadline. Her moderate record and disciplined campaign posture are expected to pose a formidable challenge.
“As the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia, I look forward to having many more meaningful conversations with all Virginians — across our communities and regardless of who they’ve cast their votes for in the past — about the issues that matter most to them,” Spanberger said in a statement.
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