Youngkin backs Earle-Sears for Virginia governor

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) endorsed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) for governor on Monday, ahead of the state’s gubernatorial race in 2025.

“Winsome has been an outstanding Lt. Governor, and she will be a great governor,” Youngkin wrote in a post on the social platform X.

“She has been an outspoken advocate for commonsense conservative principles and policies, a passionate voice for our military and veterans, and a relentless advocate for educational freedom and economic opportunity. She brings the fighting spirit of a Marine to the office every single day,” he said.

Earle-Sears was elected lieutenant governor in 2021, when Youngkin was running for governor. Virginia governor’s are term limited to one four-year term.

Earle-Sears, who announced her candidacy in September, is the only Republican running in the primary so far. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R), who was elected alongside Youngkin and Earle-Sears in 2021, said Monday that he would run for reelection instead of running for governor. His announcement gives Earle-Sears a clearer pathway to the nomination.

Youngkin also endorsed Miyares in the same X post Monday.

“As Attorney General, Jason vigorously defends the laws of the Commonwealth, stands with law enforcement every single day while leading our shared fight to end the free flow of opioids and fentanyl into our communities, and has been a constant advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence,” the governor said. “He has never backed down when it comes to standing up for Virginians. He is an exceptional Attorney General.”

The trio made waves in the political universe in 2021 when they flipped the blue-leaning state one year after President Biden’s general election victory over former President Trump. Youngkin and Earle-Sears focused their campaign on what they called parents’ rights in education, zeroing in on curriculums in public schools.

Virginia Democrats have since seen a number of victories since in on- and off-year elections, though Trump improved on his margins in the state on Election Day earlier this month. He lost the state to Vice President Harris by just more than 5 points, an improvement from when he lost it to Biden by roughly 10 points in 2020.

Late last year, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) launched her campaign for the governor’s mansion.

The lieutenant governor, who is a former state delegate, is the first woman of color and second woman to hold statewide office in Virginia. The commonwealth has never had a female governor, making a potential match-up between Earle-Sears and Spanberger historic. Earle-Sears would also be the first Black female governor in U.S. history.