¶ Overview
Earle-Sears had a record of opposing LGBTQ+ freedoms throughout her career. In 2022, Earle-Sears refused to answer if she would support a same-sex marriage ban in Virginia if Obergefell were to be overturned. During her 2021 campaign for lieutenant governor, Earle-Sears’ touted endorsements from anti-LGBTQ activists, including Don Blake of the Virginia Christian Alliance and Bishop E.W. Jackson. In a 2004 op-ed, Earle-Sears claimed that society had gone too far in “accommodating the homosexual community” and said she supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
¶ Earle-Sears Had A Long Record Of Opposing Freedoms For LGBTQ Virginians, And Once Claimed Society Had Gone Too Far “In Accommodating The Homosexual Community”
¶ In 2022, Earle-Sears Refused To Answer Whether She Would Support A Same-Sex Marriage Ban In Virginia If Obergefell Were Overturned
2022: Earle-Sears “Side-Stepped Questions On Whether She Would Support A Ban On Same-Sex Marriage In Virginia” If The U.S. Supreme Court Were To Overturn Obergefell, Instead Emphasizing Her Support For Civil Unions. According to WAVY 10 On Your Side, “In a recent interview, Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears also side-stepped questions on whether she would support a ban on same-sex marriage in Virginia if the Supreme Court paved the way for that type of policy. ‘The Supreme Court has already said that that’s not going to be part of the issue. That’s a whole other thing that’s totally different from abortion,’ Sears said. ‘I’ve been on the record as saying that, when it comes to civil unions, I’m all for that.’” [WAVY 10 On Your Side, 7/12/22]
- Equality Virginia: Civil Unions Were Not Synonymous To Marriage Since They Did Not Entitle Partners To Some Federal Benefits And Were Not Recognized State-To-State. According to WAVY 10 On Your Side, “Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said civil unions are not the same as marriages because they don’t entitle partners to certain federal benefits, such as filing taxes jointly, and they aren’t recognized state-to-state.” [WAVY 10 On Your Side, 7/12/22]
2022: When She Was Asked A Second Time Whether She Supported Banning Same-Sex Marriage In Virginia, Earle-Sears Got Defensive And Accused The Interview Of Changing Her Words. According to WAVY 10 On Your Side, “Asked a second time to clarify if she would support a ban on same-sex marriage in Virginia, Sears said, ‘You’re always wanting to bring in these other things. I mean, we could be talking and no matter how I say it, you change it on me and you make it seem like I’m trying to say something that I’m not trying to say. I said I support the civil union.’” [WAVY 10 On Your Side, 7/12/22]
¶ In 2021, Earle-Sears Touted The Endorsement Of The President Of The Virginia Christian Alliance, An Organization Whose Website Described Gay People As “Unmentionables” And “Sodomites”
2021: Earle-Sears Touted The Endorsement Of Don Blake, The President Of The Virginia Christian Alliance, An Organization Whose Website Referred To LGBTQ People As “Sodomites” And “Unmentionables.” According to American Journal News, “Sears […] has also been endorsed by Don Blake, the president of the Virginia Christian Alliance. In an April 2021, Virginia Christian Alliance’s website published a post about LGBTQ people that read, ‘They have now joined forces with other gender perverts by referring to themselves as ‘LGBTQ- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. They seem to be hiding from their previous designations- sodomites, ‘unmentionables’, homosexuals and gays and have adopted ‘queer’ as a coverall.’” [American Journal News, 5/13/21]
- January 2025: Earle-Sears’ Campaign For Governor Continued To Tout The Endorsement Of Don Blake, President Of The Virginia Christian Alliance. According to Winsome for Governor,
[Winsome for Governor, “Endorsements,” Viewed 1/29/25]
The Virginia Christian Alliance Published An Article That Blamed Gay People For Bringing About The AIDS Epidemic, And Referred To Gay Americans As “Sodomites” And “Unmentionables.” According to Greene Hollowell article published by the Virginia Christian Alliance, “The SEXUAL REVOLUTION I’m referring to is composed of fornicators, adulterers and homosexuals. The sometimes consequences of the first two brings about the death of a baby. The impact on the homosexuals is an AIDS epidemic and sexually transmitted diseases causing an early death of the participants. The fornicators and adulterers make no excuse for their behavior, they know they are wrong, but still go on their merry way, having illicit sex, and sometimes abortions and sometimes meeting harm or death from an irate husband, father or brother. Not so the homosexuals, they demand that you acknowledge their acts as acceptable sexual behavior and honor their ‘sacred marriage’. All of this has been legitimized by the US Supreme Court against the wishes of many states that voted on the matter. They have now joined forces with other gender perverts by referring to themselves as ‘lgbtq’- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. They seem to be hiding from their previous designations- sodomites, ‘unmentionables’, homosexuals and gays and have adopted ‘queer’ as a coverall. This seems to be more appropriate than using the alphabet.” [Greene Hollowell – Virginia Christian Alliance, 4/17/21]
¶ In 2021, Earle-Sears Touted The Endorsement Of Bishop E.W. Jackson, Who Consistently Used Violent And Extreme Language Against LGTBQ+ People
¶ In 2021, Earle-Sears Touted The Endorsement Of Bishop E.W. Jackson And Campaigned With Him
Blue Virginia: Earle-Sears Campaigned With And Touted The Endorsement Of E.W. Jackson, A Bishop With A History Of Attacking LGBTQ+ Americans. According to Blue Virginia, “Sears campaigned with and celebrated the endorsement of E.W. Jackson, a staunch anti-LGBTQ+ bishop who has a long history of spewing hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ+ Americans.” [Blue Virginia, 9/5/24]
The Daily Mail: Earle-Sears Sears “Proudly Stood Next To Bishop Jackson As He Endorsed Her” In 2021, Who Once Said Same-Sex Attraction Was “The Work Of The Devil.” According to the Daily Mail, “Virginia's Lieutenant Governor in the midst of a transgender row once campaigned with a pastor who branded homosexuality the 'work of the devil', it has emerged. […] In March 2021 as she was campaigning for the Lieutenant Governor's office, Earle-Sears proudly stood next to Bishop Jackson as he endorsed her because of her 'convictions.' He praised how she would return Virginia to 'the principles' of the founding fathers - as Earle-Sears said she was 'excited' to receive his endorsement.” [Daily Mail, 2/27/24]
February 2021: Earle-Sears Touted The Endorsement Of Bishop E.W. Jackson, With Jackson Saying Virginia “Desperately Needs Her Kind Of Leadership.” According to Earle-Sears' Facebook, “Bishop E.W. Jackson endorses my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. ‘Virginia desperately needs her kind of leadership.’ — E.W. Jackson”
[Facebook, Winsome Earle-Sears, 2/8/21]
¶ Earle-Sears Opposed Creating Legal Protections For Gay Americans And Claimed Society Had Already Gone Too Far In “Accommodating” Them
¶ In 2004, Earle-Sears Argued Gay Americans Should Not Be Constitutionally Protected: “Homosexuality Is A Matter Of Behavior, Not A Constitutional Right”
2004: Earle-Sears Opposed Same-Sex Marriage And Argued Gay People Should Not Be Constitutionally Protected, Claiming “Homosexuality Is A Matter Of Behavior, Not A Constitutional Right.” According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “Scott opposes a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriages, saying it would discriminate against a group of citizens. ‘Bigotry is not a Christian value,’ he said, a subtle reference to Sears' frequent invoking of Christian values. Sears said marriage should be between a man and a woman. Homosexuality is ‘a matter of behavior,’ not a constitutional right, she said.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/13/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Said She Believed Society Went “Beyond Almost All Standards” In “Accommodating The Homosexual Community”
2004: The Daily Press Reported That Earle-Sears “Waffled” When She Was Asked Whether She Supported Civil Unions For Same-Sex Couples, But Conceded “I Do Believe Homosexuals Have Rights As Well.” According to the Daily Press, “‘It may be a make-or-break issue,’ said Winsome Sears, a Norfolk Republican hoping to oust Scott in November. Sears supports a constitutional amendment, while Scott opposes it. But politicians of all stripes are clearly leery of going too far and risking a political backlash. Sears waffled on the question of whether she would support gay civil unions-- a legal construct aimed at letting gay couples obtain some state benefits, though not federal ones. ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well,’ Sears said. Scott said he favors letting states decide whether to recognize civil unions. But he, like Sears, stopped short of offering a personal view, saying Virginia has not studied the matter. Allen said he opposes civil unions, but would let states decide the question. Warner has taken no position on the issue, an aide said. As the battle rages on, gay Virginians say they know the odds are stacked against them. ‘It's very conservative here,’ said Gorsline, the gay Richmond pastor with a companion of six years. ‘But Patrick Henry said it long ago: Give me liberty or give me death. We'll have to keep working on the liberty part.’” [Daily Press, 3/8/04]
2004: Earle-Sears Wrote An Op-Ed Where She Clarified That While She Believed “Homosexuals Have Rights As Well,” She Also Believed “Our Society Has Gone Immeasurably Beyond Almost All Standards In Accommodating The Homosexual Community.” According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “On the matter of civil unions, the Daily Press reporter classified my statement as waffling. In his defense, I have yet to hear one universal working definition of just what is a civil union. Regardless, I would like to clarify. As I said in the article, ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well.’ I also believe our society has gone immeasurably beyond almost all standards in accommodating the homosexual community over the last couple of decades.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
¶ During Her 2004 Campaign For Congress, Earle-Sears Emphatically Supported Amending The U.S. Constitution To Enforce A Federal Ban On Same-Sex Marriage
¶ In March 2004, Earle-Sears Wrote In An Op-Ed: “I Emphatically Support A Constitutional Amendment” That Would Ban Same-Sex Marriage Nationally
March 2004: In Her Daily Press Op-Ed, Earle-Sears Wrote: “I Emphatically Support A Constitutional Amendment” That Would Ban Same-Sex Marriage Nationally. According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “The issue of gay marriage will likely be with us through November and is one that deserves full public discourse. I emphatically support a constitutional amendment preserving the institution of marriage to be between a man and a woman. Marriage has been defined over the last 5,000 years as being exactly that. However, what was not included in the March 8 article (‘In Virginia, support for same-sex marriage is slim’) were my comments on why I believe there should be an amendment. Now that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has deemed the exclusion of homosexuals from marriage to be unconstitutional, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law in 1996 by President Clinton, has become moot.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Said That A Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide Was Needed To Ensure That States Would Not Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Performed In Other States
Earle-Sears Said That A Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide Was Needed To Ensure That States Would Not Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Performed In Other States. According to the Daily Press, “That philosophical divide marked the opening day of a series of House committee hearings on what is perhaps the thorniest social issue of this election year: whether to prohibit gay marriage across the nation by rewriting the U.S. Constitution. The issue promises to play a prominent role in Scott's re-election campaign this fall, when he faces a challenge from conservative Republican Winsome Sears, a former state legislator from Norfolk. Sears has said a constitutional amendment is needed to ensure that states will not have to recognize any same-sex marriage conducted in any other state. The Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, already frees states from such recognition. But some conservatives fear that courts could strike down the law as unconstitutional. Tuesday's hearing of the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution waded into a thicket of complex legal issues that raised many questions.” [Daily Press, 3/31/04]
¶ In March 2004, Earle-Sears Said Her Support Of A Federal Ban On Same-Sex Marriage Was A “Make-Or-Break Issue”
March 2004: Earle-Sears Said Her Support Of A Federal Ban On Same-Sex Marriage Was A “Make-Or-Break Issue.” According to the Daily Press, “‘It may be a make-or-break issue,’ said Winsome Sears, a Norfolk Republican hoping to oust Scott in November. Sears supports a constitutional amendment, while Scott opposes it. But politicians of all stripes are clearly leery of going too far and risking a political backlash. Sears waffled on the question of whether she would support gay civil unions-- a legal construct aimed at letting gay couples obtain some state benefits, though not federal ones. ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well,’ Sears said. Scott said he favors letting states decide whether to recognize civil unions. But he, like Sears, stopped short of offering a personal view, saying Virginia has not studied the matter. Allen said he opposes civil unions, but would let states decide the question. Warner has taken no position on the issue, an aide said. As the battle rages on, gay Virginians say they know the odds are stacked against them. ‘It's very conservative here,’ said Gorsline, the gay Richmond pastor with a companion of six years. ‘But Patrick Henry said it long ago: Give me liberty or give me death. We'll have to keep working on the liberty part.’” [Daily Press, 3/8/04]
¶ The Daily Press Editorial Board Criticized Earle-Sears’ Support For The Anti-Same Sex Marriage Constitutional Amendment As An Attempt “To Restrict The Rights Of A Minority And Enthrone Social Policy”
The Daily Press Editorial Board Criticized Earle-Sears’ Support For A Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage, Which Described Her Extremism As An Attempt “To Restrict The Rights Of A Minority And Enthrone Social Policy.” According to the Daily Press Editorial Board, “It would take a candidate with a compelling offer to justify the 3rd District replacing Democrat Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Scott, who has served in the House of Representatives since 1993. Republican Winsome Sears is not that candidate. […] Talking with Sears, one is struck by her failure to grasp the complexities and nuances behind issues. And make no mistake, the issues -- health care, national defense, foreign policy and the economy -- are complex indeed. Yet her understanding seems to go no deeper than partisan rhetoric. […] And the same with issues such as same-sex marriage. Many of his socially conservative constituents may oppose it. But the solution is not, as Sears proposes, amending so fundamental a document as the Constitution in order to restrict the rights of a minority and enthrone social policy. This isn't about whether or not homosexuals should be able to marry. It's about protecting the bulwark of American liberties. Scott sees that. Sears doesn't.” [Editorial Board – Daily Press, 10/27/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Opposed Creating Legal Protections For Gay Americans And Suggested The Country Had Already Gone Too Far In “Accommodating” Them
¶ Earle-Sears Argued Gay Americans Should Not Be Constitutionally Protected, Claiming “Homosexuality Is A Matter Of Behavior, Not A Constitutional Right”
2004: Earle-Sears Opposed Same-Sex Marriage And Argued Gay People Should Not Be Constitutionally Protected, Claiming “Homosexuality Is A Matter Of Behavior, Not A Constitutional Right.” According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “Scott opposes a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriages, saying it would discriminate against a group of citizens. ‘Bigotry is not a Christian value,’ he said, a subtle reference to Sears' frequent invoking of Christian values. Sears said marriage should be between a man and a woman. Homosexuality is ‘a matter of behavior,’ not a constitutional right, she said.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/13/04]
¶ After Earle-Sears “Waffled” On An Answer About Same-Sex Civil Unions, Earle-Sears Said She Believed Society Went “Beyond Almost All Standards” In “Accommodating The Homosexual Community”
¶ In March 2004, The Daily Press Reported That Earle-Sears “Waffled” When Asked Whether She Supported Civil Unions For Same-Sex Couples
March 2004: The Daily Press Reported That Earle-Sears “Waffled” When She Was Asked Whether She Supported Civil Unions For Same-Sex Couples, But Conceded “I Do Believe Homosexuals Have Rights As Well.” According to the Daily Press, “‘It may be a make-or-break issue,’ said Winsome Sears, a Norfolk Republican hoping to oust Scott in November. Sears supports a constitutional amendment, while Scott opposes it. But politicians of all stripes are clearly leery of going too far and risking a political backlash. Sears waffled on the question of whether she would support gay civil unions-- a legal construct aimed at letting gay couples obtain some state benefits, though not federal ones. ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well,’ Sears said. Scott said he favors letting states decide whether to recognize civil unions. But he, like Sears, stopped short of offering a personal view, saying Virginia has not studied the matter. Allen said he opposes civil unions, but would let states decide the question. Warner has taken no position on the issue, an aide said. As the battle rages on, gay Virginians say they know the odds are stacked against them. ‘It's very conservative here,’ said Gorsline, the gay Richmond pastor with a companion of six years. ‘But Patrick Henry said it long ago: Give me liberty or give me death. We'll have to keep working on the liberty part.’” [Daily Press, 3/8/04]
- March 2004: In Response To The Daily Press’ Claim That Earle-Sears “Waffled” On Whether She Supported Civil Unions, Earle-Sears Wrote An Op-Ed Where She Said She Did Not Know Of A “Universal Working Definition Of Just What Is A Civil Union.” According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “On the matter of civil unions, the Daily Press reporter classified my statement as waffling. In his defense, I have yet to hear one universal working definition of just what is a civil union.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
¶ In A Follow-Up Daily Press Op-Ed, Earle-Sears Wrote “Homosexuals Have Rights As Well,” But She Also Believed Society Went “Immeasurably Beyond Almost All Standards In Accommodating The Homosexual Community”
March 2004: Earle-Sears Wrote An Op-Ed Where She Clarified That While She Believed “Homosexuals Have Rights As Well,” She Also Believed “Our Society Has Gone Immeasurably Beyond Almost All Standards In Accommodating The Homosexual Community.” According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “On the matter of civil unions, the Daily Press reporter classified my statement as waffling. In his defense, I have yet to hear one universal working definition of just what is a civil union. Regardless, I would like to clarify. As I said in the article, ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well.’ I also believe our society has gone immeasurably beyond almost all standards in accommodating the homosexual community over the last couple of decades.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Called Gay Marriage “An Issue Of Lifestyle” And Attacked Marriage Equality Comparisons To The Struggles Of Other Minority Groups
¶ Earle-Sears Attacked Her Opponent For Comparing Gay Americans’ Struggle For Freedom And Civil Liberties To The Struggle Of Other Minority Groups
¶ Earle-Sears Attacked Her Opponent For Comparing The Fight For Marriage Equality To The Civil Rights Movement, Referring To Gay Marriage As “An Issue Of Lifestyle”
March 2004: In Her Daily Press Op-Ed, Earle-Sears Attacked Her Opponent For Comparing The Fight For Marriage Equality To The Civil Rights Movement, Referring To Gay Marriage As “An Issue Of Lifestyle.” According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “As I said in the article, ‘I do believe homosexuals have rights as well.’ I also believe our society has gone immeasurably beyond almost all standards in accommodating the homosexual community over the last couple of decades. Scott wholeheartedly believes the issue of gay marriage to be equal to the civil rights struggle that we African-Americans have fought and died for throughout American history. That is a huge stretch, which marginalizes our community's long struggle by lumping together what is a civil rights movement based on race with gay marriage, which is an issue of lifestyle.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Invoked American Slavery And Jim Crow Laws To Attack Her Opponent’s Claim That Same-Sex Couples’ Fight For Freedoms Mirrored The Civil Rights Movement
2004: Earle-Sears Invoked American Slavery And Jim Crow Laws To Attack Her Opponent’s Claim That Same-Sex Couples’ Fight For Freedoms Mirrored The Civil Rights Movement. According to the Associated Press, “Some of the campaign's fiercest rhetoric has been over abortion, embryonic stem cell research, tax-supported private school vouchers and gay marriage. Sears supports vouchers but opposes the others except for emergency abortions to save a woman's life. Scott's positions are largely the opposite. Scott is proud of his vote last month against a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. He likens it the struggle for desegregation and voting rights by an earlier generation of blacks. ‘Bigotry is not a Christian value,’ Scott said in the Richmond debate. Sears, who speaks openly and passionately about her faith, scowled at him. ‘The fact is homosexuals were never declared property under the law,’ she shot back. ‘They were never considered less than human under the law. They were never denied the right to vote under the law. Their children were never stripped from them under the law. They were never forced to work the fields.’ ‘It looks like we're playing the blacker-than-thou game at every turn,’ she said.” [Associated Press, 10/15/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Centered her opposition to same-sex marriage in her 2004 congressional campaign To The Exclusion Of Several Other Pertinent Issues, Irking Some Voters
¶ In Her 2004 Congressional Campaign Launch Speech, Earle-Sears Said Of Same-Sex Couples Seeking The Freedom To Marry: “We Don’t Want That Here”
January 2004: As She Launched Her 2004 Congressional Bid, Earle-Sears Pledged To Fight Against The Recognition Of Same-Sex Marriages And Civil Unions Between Same-Sex Domestic Partners. According to the Associated Press, “Former Del. Winsome E. Sears announced to a crowd of more than 100 supporters Monday that she will challenge U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott in Virginia's only black-majority congressional district. Flanked by her husband and three daughters in front of the state Capitol, Sears said she was driven by her faith to run for Congress after just one term in the Virginia House of Delegates. […] Sears likened her fight against Scott to the biblical story of David and Goliath, then attacked her opponent's voting record in Congress on issues ranging from gay marriage to education and national security. ‘If our leaders tell us to vote for them because they are black and Democrat, but they allow our schools to fail, I say that's wrong,’ she said. ‘We are allowing it to happen by voting people into office based simply on party.’ Sears, 39, a former Marine and devout Christian, voted conservatively on most bills in the House, particularly those seeking tighter abortion restrictions. However, she was one of four Republicans to vote against repealing the estate tax last year and she supported Gov. Mark R. Warner's proposal to allow primary enforcement of the state's seat belt law. Sears drew the loudest applause from the crowd when she vowed to fight against recognition of gay marriages and civil unions, saying she believed a ‘marriage means a union between one man and one woman.’” [Associated Press, 1/19/04]
Earle-Sears Attacked Same-Sex Couples During Her Campaign Launch Speech, Saying Rep. Bobby Scott “Voted To Support Same-Sex Marriages. We Don’t Want That Here, And We Don’t Want That In The Third District.” According to the Daily Press, “Republican congressional candidate Winsome Sears compared the challenge of unseating U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott to a battle between David and Goliath on Monday as she officially launched her campaign on the steps of the Capitol. […] Sears said Scott's voting record would change opinions in the district, especially because of his stance on gay rights issues. ‘I believe marriage means a union between one man and one woman,’ Sears told the crowd of about 35 gathered outside the Capitol. ‘He voted to support same-sex marriages. We don't want that here, and we don't want that in the 3rd District.’ Del. G. Glenn Oder, R-Newport News, said he hopes voters will focus on the issues during the November election.” [Daily Press, 1/20/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Said She Believed Marriage Was A Union Between One Man And One Woman
January 2004: Earle-Sears Said “Marriage Means A Union Between One Man And One Woman” During Her Congressional Campaign Launch Speech. According to the Associated Press, “Former Del. Winsome E. Sears announced to a crowd of more than 100 supporters Monday that she will challenge U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott in Virginia's only black-majority congressional district. Flanked by her husband and three daughters in front of the state Capitol, Sears said she was driven by her faith to run for Congress after just one term in the Virginia House of Delegates. […] Sears drew the loudest applause from the crowd when she vowed to fight against recognition of gay marriages and civil unions, saying she believed a ‘marriage means a union between one man and one woman.’” [Associated Press, 1/19/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Repeatedly Attacked Her Opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, For His Support Of Same-Sex Marriage Throughout The Campaign
January 2004: Earle-Sears Teased Plans To Challenge Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott, Calling His Record “Atrocious,” Primarily Because Of His Support For Gay Rights And Same-Sex Marriage. According to the Daily Press, “Republican state Del. Winsome Sears has decided to challenge U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott this fall, other GOP leaders said. Scott is the six-term Democratic incumbent in the only congressional district in Virginia where blacks outnumber whites. Sears, the first black Republican woman elected to the General Assembly, has been telling Republicans in recent days that she plans to formally launch her campaign in Richmond on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Sears, a former Marine who lives in Norfolk, will retire from the House of Delegates next week after only one term. She was coy Tuesday when asked whether she plans to run in November against Scott, a Democrat and six-term congressman from Newport News. ‘I don't want to lie to you,’ she said. ‘I will be making an announcement on Jan. 19.’ But she discussed Scott's voting record, calling it ‘atrocious,’ particularly because of his support for gay rights issues and increased federal spending. She further said she's not afraid of running in the overwhelmingly Democratic district. ‘I'm going to allow you to surmise,’ she said of her plans. […] Sears, who turns 40 in March, criticized Scott for supporting gay marriages and railing against deficit spending while voting against a balanced budget amendment.” [Daily Press, 1/7/04]
March 2004: In Her Daily Press Op-Ed, Earle-Sears Referred To Same-Sex Marriage As A “Radical View Of Marriage” And Attacked Her Opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, For Supporting Same-Sex Couples’ Freedom To Marry. According to Winsome Earle-Sears in a Daily Press op-ed, “Clearly, Virginia and all of the other states will have to recognize gay marriages. Is this what the people of the 3rd Congressional District want? I do not think so. The current congressman from the 3rd District, Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Scott, has already made it clear that he supports homosexual marriages, most notably by voting for an entirely different law in 1996, which, ironically, is directly opposite the Defense of Marriage Act that Clinton signed. Scott's law would have required every state to recognize homosexual marriages performed in another state. Fortunately, Scott's radical view of marriages failed.” [Winsome Earle-Sears Op-Ed – Daily Press, 3/22/04]
January 2004: Earle-Sears Said She And Rep. Bobby Scott Were “Diametrically Opposed On Just About Everything,” And Criticized The Congressman For Supporting Same-Sex Marriage. According to the Virginian-Pilot, “Del. Winsome E. Sears may challenge U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott in Virginia's majority-black 3rd Congressional District this fall. She said Wednesday that she will officially announce her decision in Richmond on Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Sears, the first black female Republican elected to the General Assembly, will retire from the House of Delegates next week after only one term. Sears, a former Marine who lives in Norfolk, declined to say definitively whether she would run in November against Scott, a Democrat from Newport News. ‘I'm not going to totally give that away until Jan. 19,’ she said. She did say she thinks she could defeat Scott, a six-term incumbent, because, she said, ‘I've done it before.’ […] Scott's liberal voting record is out of step with much of the district, Sears said. ‘He and I are diametrically opposed on just about everything,’ she said. Sears criticized Scott for his opposition to the war in Iraq, for supporting gay marriages, and for railing against deficit spending while voting against a balanced-budget amendment.” [Virginian-Pilot, 1/8/04]
¶ Several Voters Wrote To Newspapers Complaining Of Earle-Sears’ Disproportionate Focus On Same-Sex Marriage To The Exclusion Of Other Pressing Issues Facing The District
April 2004: A Voter In The 3rd Congressional District Wrote A Letter To The Editor Where She Criticized Earle-Sears For Her Focus On Opposing Same-Sex Marriage While The District Faced Issues Like Hunger And Unaffordable Housing And Healthcare. According to a letter to the editor from Frances M. Doyle in the Daily Press, “WHAT IS SEARS FOR? I disagree with Winsome Sears (‘Marriage deserves preservation,’ March 22). Actually, over the last 5,000 years, marriage has been defined as between a man and several women. Sears wants a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Gay marriage? What about hungry children, unaffordable housing and unaffordable health care? I know what Sears is against; what is she for? What is her vision for the 3rd Congressional District? Frances M. Doyle” [Frances M. Doyle – Letter to the Editor, Daily Press, 4/9/04]
April 2004: A Voter In The 3rd Congressional District Wrote A Letter To The Editor To Criticize Earle-Sears For Misinterpreting Federal Marriage Law, And Accused Republicans Of Hypocrisy For Branding Themselves Champions Of States’ Rights While Campaigning To Remove State Control Over The Issue Of Same-Sex Marriage. According to a letter to the editor from Kevin Grierson in the Daily Press, “Sears' facts wrong: Winsome Sears' March 22 column, ‘Marriage deserves preservation,’ falls somewhat short in accurately describing the law. Sears claims that because states like Massachusetts have (or will) recognize gay marriages, ‘Clearly, Virginia and all of the other states will have to recognize gay marriages.’ Not so. There has long been a public policy exception to the full faith and credit clause of our Constitution, which states, in essence, that the acts or judgments of one state need not be recognized in another if those acts or judgments violate a strong public policy of that state. Whatever people think of gay marriage, the issue has become much more important as a campaign theme than it is in reality. I find it quite ironic that the Republicans, who are the self-appointed champions of state's rights, are unwilling to let the states decide for themselves on this issue. One wishes that our federal representatives (or those who would like to be our representatives in Congress) could spend a bit more time focusing on pesky issues such as our ballooning deficit and the state of the economy. Kevin Grierson” [Kevin Grierson – Letter to the Editor, Daily Press, 4/9/04]
April 2004: A Voter In The 3rd Congressional District Wrote A Letter To The Editor To Criticize Earle-Sears For Distorting Her Opponent’s Position On Same-Sex Marriage In Order To Appeal To The Religious Right. According to a letter to the editor from Al Schy in the Daily Press, “I was surprised by the recent article saying that Republican leaders believe Winsome Sears could beat Bobby Scott in the next election. Scott has earned the respect and admiration of even his opponents in Congress by the calm, reasoned and articulate way he explains and defends his positions on important issues before them. That is why he has not faced serious challenges in previous elections. However, in her March 22 op-ed (‘Marriage deserves preservation’) supporting a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriages, Sears makes clear that she hopes to beat Scott by attacks distorting his positions in ways that appeal to the religious right. She ignores the fact that opposition to this amendment is not based on support of such marriages but on opposition to using it to allow the federal government to take over authority on a matter that has always been a state responsibility. I suppose she thinks that if she can make us forget what Scott is really like by using attack ads picturing him as a scary, irreligious radical, she just might beat him. Let's hope Virginians see through these nasty tactics and remember the real Scott we've known for years. Al Schy” [Kevin Grierson – Letter to the Editor, Daily Press, 4/9/04]
¶ Earle-Sears Said Her Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage Was Based On Biblical Teachings, But Later Said “I Don’t Try To Impose My Beliefs On Anyone Else”
Earle-Sears Said Her Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage Was Based On Biblical Teachings, But Later Said “I Don’t Try To Impose My Beliefs On Anyone Else… But My Beliefs Are Who I Am.” According to the Daily Press, “Winsome Sears and Bobby Scott, running for the 3rd District House seat, differ on almost every issue. Talk about religious beliefs and civil liberties highlighted a political debate Monday in Norfolk as the candidates for the 3rd Congressional District differed on gay marriage. Republican challenger Winsome E. Sears is seeking to upset Rep. Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Scott, D-Newport News, by painting him as out of touch with his constituents on several controversial social issues, including gay marriage. She told more than 100 people attending the debate, sponsored by the Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League, that she opposed gay marriage based on biblical teachings. Sears defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. She said she resents attempts to compare the struggle for civil rights for homosexuals to the struggle for civil rights for blacks. ‘I and people who look like me can't believe our movement is being hijacked,’ Sears said. Both candidates are black. Sears is a 40-year-old evangelical Christian who retired from the House of Delegates after one term, saying the Lord had told her not to run again. ‘I don't try to impose my beliefs on anyone else,’ Sears said, ‘but my beliefs are who I am.’” [Daily Press, 10/12/04]