by Brandon Jarvis
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears gave a combative speech to a rowdy crowd at Monday’s Buena Vista Labor Day celebration. Sears will likely run for the Republican nomination for governor next year.
Politicians from both sides of the aisle were present in Buena Vista for Labor Day, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin, United States Senator Tim Kaine, his Republican opponent Hung Cao and more.
Democrats in the crowd were riled up, expressing their displeasure with statements from Youngkin during his speech.
The loudest boos came during Sears’ speech, however, and she did not ignore them as they happened.
Sears’ speech began with the typical Republican talking points, blaming Democrats for an array of issues.
“Four years later, they’re removing body parts from our children and calling it freedom,” she said. “Four years later, the border is wide open, and criminals are coming across, and they’re calling it freedom. Four years later, we’re paying more in food, and they call it freedom. Freedom, my friends, ain’t free because people have died when they pulled us out of Afghanistan. Marines. And you call it freedom?”
As the speech continued, after Sears called the crowd “weird,” she wrapped it up by accusing Democrats of being racist.
“They’re telling a Black woman to get off the stage. They’re telling a Black woman to get off the stage. The Democrats are telling a Black woman to get off the stage,” she said. “Why didn’t you tell that to Kamala Harris? Why didn’t you tell that to Kamala Harris? The Democrats are telling a Black woman to get off the stage.”
She also asked if someone in the crowd told her to “go back to Jamaica,” where she was born.
It is unclear if someone in the crowd said that to her, but she then compared herself to Vice President Kamala Harris’ father, who was born in Jamaica.
“I just want to be sure,” she said to the crowd. “Because I understand that y’all are the tolerant people. So I want to know. I just want to be sure because the vice president’s father was from Jamaica.”
Read the full transcript of her speech below:
“Four years later, they’re removing body parts from our children and calling it freedom. Four years later, the border is wide open, and criminals are coming across, and they’re calling it freedom. Four years later, we’re paying more in food, and they call it freedom. Freedom, my friends, ain’t free because people have died when they pulled us out of Afghanistan. Marines. And you call it freedom?
“I’m telling you what, take down that sign because y’all are the ones who are weird. That’s not freedom!
“Freedom is not free! And I’m not playing around because we have to win because nobody knows who’s in charge in the White House right now. And that’s a national security issue.
“Let me – wait a minute. Did I hear somebody say go back to Jamaica, where you came from? I just want to be sure. I just want to be sure. Because I understand that y’all are the tolerant people. So I want to know. I just want to be sure because the vice president’s father was from Jamaica.
“Folks, we got to win in November. I want to vote for the person our rogue nations are afraid of, and that is Donald Trump. He didn’t start any wars. I am speaking! I am speaking! I am speaking! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! We’re going to win in November. We’re going to win in November! We have to win! We’ve got to keep the White House! We’re going to win! God bless you! God bless mankind! And God bless America!
“And one more thing. One more thing. They’re telling a Black woman to get off the stage. They’re telling a Black woman to get off the stage. The Democrats are telling a Black woman to get off the stage. Why didn’t you tell that to Kamala Harris? Why didn’t you tell that to Kamala Harris? The Democrats are telling a Black woman to get off the stage. It was the Republican Party who nominated me, a Black woman, to be lieutenant governor of Virginia. And it was the Republican party that voted for me, the first female Black immigrant Marine lieutenant governor of Virginia. God Bless America.”