Republican Winsome Earle-Sears struggles to answer why Trump didn’t endorse her for VA governor

Despite securing the Republican nomination in Virginia’s gubernatorial race, Winsome Earle-Sears failed to land an endorsement from the leader of her party, President Donald Trump.

Earle-Sears, one of the few Black female Republican elected officials in the country, struggled to explain the perceived snub from Trump when asked about it by CBS News reporter Nikole Killion just hours before polls closed on Election Day.

“Why haven’t you been able to secure the president’s endorsement, and at this point, does it matter?” queried Killion.

“I don’t really think that…Yeah…here’s the thing, I’m working and I’m working very hard. I’ve always run very hard races. I’ve never had an easy race,” replied Earle-Sears, who is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Board of Education.

Trump has previously said that Earle-Sears “must win” against her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, but stopped short of a glowing endorsement as he did for Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican gubernatorial nominee in New Jersey. Ultimately, Earle-Sears lost the governor’s race on Tuesday night.

When asked why President Trump did not endorse Earle-Sears before polls closed on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “I think the president has spoken for himself and what he wants take to place today.”

Earle-Sears, who has been loyal to Trump’s MAGA agenda, told CBS she had spoken to Trump, but did not provide any specifics about their conversation.

“Yes, the president and I have spoken, and I’m not, I’ve been in the, you know, when I, you know, think about this…,” said the Virginia gubernatorial nominee, flubbing her answer.

The Republican candidate highlighted her immigrant background (she and her family immigrated from Jamaica) and her experience as Virginia’s current lieutenant governor.

“I don’t have time to be mealy-mouthed. I don’t have time to beat around the bush, and the people don’t want that in their political leaders. By the way, I’m a Marine. I know how to do this. We’re gonna win,” she added.