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RICHMOND — Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican who traveled the state successful 2020 to beforehand President Donald Trump’s reelection, said successful the aftermath of this week’s midterm elections that it’s clip for Trump to permission the governmental stage.
“What we saw was, adjacent though helium wasn’t connected the ballot, helium was, due to the fact that helium stepped successful and endorsed candidates,” Earle-Sears told The Washington Post connected Thursday. “And yet, it turns retired that those helium did not endorse connected the aforesaid summons did amended than the ones helium did endorse. That gives you a hint that the voters privation to determination on. And a existent person knows erstwhile they person go a liability to the mission.”
Earle-Sears is the astir salient Republican officeholder successful Virginia to interruption with Trump, who was profoundly unpopular successful the authorities wide but has maintained a steadfast grip connected the Republican Party base.
She archetypal made her stance known successful an interrogation connected Fox Business earlier Thursday. Her comments drew a harsh rebuke from a Trump spokesperson, who issued a written statement.
“Winsome Sears rode a question of President Trump’s voters to predetermination triumph successful 2021,” the connection said. “Her comments are a slap to the look to each of the grassroots Republicans that worked truthful hard to get her elected. They won’t hide this and determination volition beryllium a reckoning. There ever is successful politics.”
Trump’s astir salient supporters successful the authorities reacted with fury, swearing vengeance against Earle-Sears and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who appears to beryllium weighing a 2024 statesmanlike bid. If helium won the White House, Earle-Sears would implicit his gubernatorial term.
Radio big John Fredericks, president of Trump’s Virginia campaigns successful 2016 and 2020, said helium thought that Youngkin had enactment Earle-Sears up to making the comments.
“If you deliberation Winsome Sears did this without the support of Glenn Youngkin, you’re naive,” Fredericks said. “This is his salvo to tally for president. Good luck beating Team Trump successful Virginia. We’ll crush him successful his ain state.”
Asked if Youngkin knew up of clip that she would publically divided with Trump, Earle-Sears declined to say.
“I’m not going to accidental ‘yes’ and I’m not going to accidental ‘no,’ ” she said. “I’m conscionable going to permission it alone.”
Spokespeople for Youngkin did not instantly respond to requests for comment.
A erstwhile authorities delegate and Marine, Sears, a Jamaican immigrant, served arsenic chairwoman of Black Americans to Re-elect the President 2 years agone and won the lieutenant governorship past twelvemonth connected a summons led by Youngkin.
“We’ve got a slew of precise well-qualified people” too Trump to tally for the White House, Earle-Sears said. Asked if she counts Youngkin among them, Earle-Sears did not reply directly.
“Well, you cognize I enactment family,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m not endorsing anybody.”
Youngkin has walked a tightrope with Trump arsenic he’s sought to entreaty to the erstwhile president’s fans and foes alike, often mincing words, avoiding argumentation specifics and telegraphing a suburban-dad vibe with his trademark reddish vest.
Earle-Sears is his polar opposite, arsenic outspoken arsenic Youngkin is cagey. Her signature run accessory was an battle rifle, strapped crossed her blouse and skirt successful a photograph plastered connected run signs. Earle-Sears memorably utilized 1 of her high-heeled pumps to bang the Virginia Senate to bid 1 time aboriginal this year, aft a prankster hid her gavel.
Earle-Sears said she inactive thinks highly of what Trump accomplished for Black Americans, crediting his medication for the summation successful Black entrepreneurship and alteration successful Black unemployment that occurred during his presidency.
“I was each implicit this country, campaigning for him, trying to triumph Black voters implicit due to the fact that helium had done precise bully for us,” she said. “But you know, ultimately, helium mislaid and we moved on. And we were hoping that helium could besides determination on.”
Earle-Sears’s comments came 1 time aft Del. Tim Anderson (R-Virginia Beach) disavowed the erstwhile president he’d erstwhile styled himself after: “I should person said this 2 years ago,” helium told the Virginia Mercury.
State Sen. Amanda F. Chase (R-Chesterfield), a self-described “Trump successful heels,” blasted some Anderson and Earle-Sears arsenic “weak … Republicans.”
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