VA BEACH, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Lt. Governor Winsome Sears had a “rally” Thursday evening at a Virginia Beach restaurant, the day after filing paperwork to run for the Republican nomination for Governor. She sounded like she was on the stump Labor Day, giving a fiery speech on the stage during an array of political speeches after Buena Vista’s Labor Day parade. The Virginia Department of Elections accepted her paperwork Wednesday.  Thursday night she made it official declaring her intention to succeed Glenn Youngkin as Virginia’s 75th Governor and of course if elected she would be the first woman to ever serve in the office.

Sears becomes the first Republican to head toward a 2025 run to succeed Republican Glenn Youngkin. State Attorney General Jason Miyares has been said to be interested in the governership though he has not moved toward that intention. However, he issued this statement on X yesterday:

“Our nation cannot afford four more years of the failed policies of Biden and Harris.  My focus right now is on November 2024 and electing as many Republicans in Virginia as we can.  It is clear we cannot allow Democrats to seize control in Washington or Richmond.  We all need to be focused on November’s elections before even thinking about next year.”

So far, only one Democrat has filed for their nomination when 7th District Congressional Rep. Abigail Spanberger who last year declined to run for re-election so she could pursue her party’s nomination for Governor.