Newly-elected Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears expressed gratitude to God for her historical win as the first black and first female candidate to assume the state's post.
CBN News reported that 57-year-old Sears focused on God in celebrating her victory alongside Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday in Chantilly. Sears was quoted in saying that she is "living the American dream" and that the "has done so much for me, I was willing to die for this country," from being a Jamaican.
Sears, a United States Marine Corps veteran and former 2002-2004 member of the Virginia House of Delegates, expressed during the election night watch party her surprise in winning the commonwealth's lieutenant governorship and being the first female and first black person to actually do so. She said she is "at a loss for words for the first time in" her "life."
Sears thanked everyone including her "ragtag" staff for what she has accomplished despite the difficulties she encountered during her campaign. She went on to bless the crowd and pointed out that God was present throughout it all.
"God bless you," Sears said.
"We ran an impossible, improbable campaign...God was exactly with us, otherwise we would never have made it. And so I want to finish up by thanking you, Jesus. How sweet it is!" She added.
During her speech, Sears, a mother of three kids, highlighted the importance of education being the focal point of Youngkin's campaign and the central issue of the gubernatorial race. Sears has a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from the Regeat University. She revealed that education "lifted" her "out of poverty."
"Education will lift us all out of poverty, because we must have marketable skills so that our children can not just survive, but they will thrive, and they recreate generational wealth. That's what this is about," Sears stressed.
Youngkin's and McAuliffe's responses on the issue of education, particularly the parental role in the curriculum of their children, during the September gubernatorial debate became highly controversial and is said to be one of the major deciding points on who to elect among them.
McAuliffe opposed parental role on the curriculum of their children and Youngkin condemned it, launching a new ad afterwards on McAuliffe's false claim especially on the need for parents to be notified when a school's instructional material has sexually explicit content in it. Youngkin likely won the governor's race due to this and primarily for his pro-life stand.
Besides her thrust for education by strengthening schools, Sears also focused on "creating good paying jobs," "cutting costs for families," "uplifting Black Virginians," "keeping Virginia safe," and serving veterans during her campaign.
Sears, who operates a women's homeless shelter, also vowed to ensure the state will have a "transparent government" and that there will be "safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good education."
In addition, Sears assured Virginians during her speech that there is no need to worry for help has already "arrived."
"And as I used to say as we were on the trail: Hold on, help is on the way! The cavalry has arrived!" Sears announced.
