VA Republicans Sweep State Offices As Winsome Sears Makes History

VIRGINIA — Along with Republican Glenn Youngkin winning the governor’s race, GOP candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general also defeated their Democratic rivals in Tuesday's Virginia elections.

Winsome Sears defeated Democratic candidate Hala Ayala for lieutenant governor, breaking barriers as the first woman and the first woman of color in the office in state history. Ayala also would have been the first woman of color to hold statewide office if she had won.

Republican Jason Miyares defeated two-term incumbent Mark Herring (D) in the attorney general’s race.

Republicans appeared to be on the verge of ending Democratic control of the House of Delegates in Tuesday’s elections. With a few races still too close to call Wednesday morning, the party appeared headed for at least a 50-50 tie with Democrats in the chamber, if not a narrow majority.

Youngkin, who has never held political office, won with 50.68 percent of the votes to McAuliffe with 48.55 percent of the votes, based on counts as of 8:45 a.m. Wednesday. That breaks down to 1,663,755 votes for Youngkin and 1,593,741 votes for McAuliffe.

As of Wednesday morning, Sears had won 50.8 percent of the vote vs. 49.1 percent for Ayala. That breaks down to 1,659,942 votes for Sears and 1,603,076 votes for Ayala.

Miyares had won 50.5 percent of the vote, or 1,649,034 votes, compared to 49.4 percent, or 1,614,724, for Herring.

SEE ALSO: 'We Won This Thing': Youngkin Defeats McAuliffe For VA Governor

The Republican sweep means the GOP will hold statewide office in Virginia for the first time since 2010.

Sears, who was born in Jamaica, is the first Black Republican woman to be elected to the Virginia General Assembly, representing the 90th district from 2002 for one term. In 2004, she launched an unsuccessful bid for Congress against Democrat Rep. Bobby Scott.

She is also a Marine veteran, former vice president of the Virginia Board of Education and owner of an appliance business. She is a wife and mother of three daughters. In 2012, her 27-year-old daughter DeJon L'Air Williams and two grandchildren died in a car accident.

"It's a historic night — yes, it is — but I didn't run to make history. I just wanted to leave it better than I found it," Sears said before a crowd of supporters early Wednesday morning.

A strong supporter of former President Donald Trump who has defended him after controversies and racist comments, Sears was national chair of Black Americans Making America First, a coalition that promotes initiatives.

Miyares has served as a Republican member of Virginia's House of Delegates, which encompasses part of Virginia Beach, since 2016. He was the first Cuban American elected to the General Assembly, and has often highlighted his Cuban background on the campaign trail by telling the story of his mother's immigration to the U.S. in 1965. He makes history as the state's first Latino attorney general.

Pledging to restore law and order in the state, Miyares touted his experience as a former prosecutor on the campaign trail

Miyares also opposes abortion except for cases of rape, incest, and medical emergencies. In the House of Delegates, he voted against Medicaid expansion and a minimum-wage increase.

RELATED:

• Meet The Candidate: Winsome Sears For VA Lieutenant Governor
• Meet The Candidate: Jason Miyares For Virginia Attorney General