- Winsome Sears
Winsome Earle Sears is a former Republican state delegate in the Commonwealth of
Virginia .Life before politics
Sears was born in
Jamaica and grew up in theBronx . After graduating from high school with honors, she joined theUS Marine Corps and was trained as anelectrician . While stationed atCamp Pendleton , Sears became an Americancitizen . Sears holds a bachelor of arts in English with a minor ineconomics fromOld Dominion University and earned her master's degree inorganizational leadership fromRegent University . Before running for public office, Sears ran ahomeless shelter . Sears is married and has three daughters, DeJon, Katia, and Janel.Delegate to the Virginia General Assembly
In
November 2001 , Sears received national attention when she upset a 20-year Democratic incumbent while running for the 90th District seat of Virginia's House of Delegates. Sears made several historic "firsts" while serving in the House of Delegates; she was the first Black female Republican, and the first foreign-born delegate, to serve. In a move just as stunning as her victory in 2001, Sears announced that she would not seek a second two-year term as delegate.Candidate for House of Representatives
Sears challenged Democrat
Bobby Scott inNovember 2004 for Virginia's 3rd Congressional District seat, but lost. She obtained the endorsement ofJames Dobson . Her campaign stressed her opponent's votes, which she felt hurt the families living within the third district. If elected, Sears would have been the first Black female Republican to serve in theUS House of Representatives .
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