Lieutenant Governor Election
Winsome Sears
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Winsome Sears is the first Black woman to be the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
If elected, this would not be Sears’ first time holding public office in Virginia. In 2002, she was elected to the Virginia General Assembly where she served for two years, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Caribbean National Weekly reported that her family immigrated to the U.S. when she was 6 years old, finding their way to Bronx, New York City. According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, Sears served as an electrician and diesel mechanic in the Marines. From there, Sears enrolled in Tidewater Community College and then went on to study English and economics at Old Dominion University and later received her master’s from Regent University.
Before running for House of Delegates, she was the director of a Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, according to The Washington Post. Sears also served as the national chair of Black Americans Making America First in 2020.
The Washington Post reported that while serving in the Virginia General Assembly, Sears promoted a voucher program that would allow parents to use public funds to home-school or send their kids to private school. According to her campaign website, Sears had a 100% pro-life and pro-Second Amendment voting record during her time in the General Assembly.
Sears is running on a platform of deregulation, tax cuts, open schools, public safety and supportive to matters related to veterans.
Currently, Sears lives with her family in Winchester, Virginia and owns a small business in the community.
Winsome Sears did not respond to requests for answers to our interview questions.
Hala Ayala
Currently the Representative of the 51st District in the Virginia House of Delegates, Hala Ayala is the Democratic nominee for the office of lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth.
Born and raised in northern Virginia, Ayala has made a name for herself as an advocate for progressive policies. When she took office, she, along with delegate Elizabeth Guzman, made history as the first Hispanic women elected to the Virginia General Assembly, according to NBC news.
Since assuming office in 2018, she has served on the committees of House Finance, Labor and Commerce, Communications Technology and Innovation and Science, according to Ballotpedia.
Along with helping to organize the Women’s March in 2016, The Fauquier Times reported that she volunteered for the Obama Presidential campaign in 2012 in addition to serving as the president of Prince William County’s National Organization for Women (NOW) chapter. According to InsideNova, she also worked as a cybersecurity specialist with the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, Ayala served on former Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Advisory Council on Women, according to her campaign website.
According to her website, as a delegate Ayala worked to expand Medicaid, raise teacher pay, pass the Equal Rights Amendment and promote gun restrictions such as background checks.
In her life, Ayala has overcome many trials. Her family struggled to make ends meet when she was young. Later, she became a single mother of two and worked to support her family while advancing her career.
She earned her college degree in psychology online from the University of Phoenix. Ayala lives in Lake Ridge, Virginia.
Hala Ayala did not respond to requests for answers to our interview questions.