![](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net\/v1\/static\/694940094001\/f3925156-f9da-4c3a-9baa-395cec409f76\/ee81c4fc-14ef-457f-900e-2003eda148a6\/1280x720\/match\/931\/524\/image.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears on her tenacity and talking tough issues.<\/p>\n
Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears, the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia’s history, attributed her victory to voters being sick of seeing Black and White people pitted against each other. <\/p>\n
“They\u2019re tired of the Black against White and the Asian against Latino,” Winsome said of those who voted for her during a “Fox News Sunday” interview. “They\u2019re tired of it, and they\u2019re tired of politicians who won\u2019t let the wounds of the past heal.” <\/p>\n
“I\u2019ve just always assumed whatever room I\u2019m in, I belong. Whatever I want to pursue, it\u2019s mine for the taking,” Winsome told host Chris Wallace. “Nobody is denying that we don\u2019t want to hear all the history, least of all me. I certainly don\u2019t want the sins of the past to be repeated. We don\u2019t have to tear one person down in order to build another up. That\u2019s no way to be. That\u2019s not America.” <\/p>\n
Winsome, who emigrated from Jamaica and formerly served as a U.S. Marine, first gained notoriety through her campaign photo in which the 57-year-old posed with a rifle. That eventually led to her earning the GOP\u2019s nomination for lieutenant governor, and she fired up crowds for fellow Republican Glenn Youngkin, now the governor-elect. She reacted to criticism from the left following her win, specifically to a joke made by Michael Che during a Nov. 6 episode of NBC\u2019s “Saturday Night Live.” <\/p>\n
Showing the campaign photo during the “Weekend Update” satirical news segment, Che had said, “Republican Winsome Sears, seen here attempting suicide-by-cop, was elected as Virginia\u2019s first Black female lieutenant governor.” He further joked, “This is actually a win for Democrats because nothing will get Republicans to support gun control faster than this picture.”<\/p>\n
When asked if she found the joke funny, Winsome said yes, “because I don\u2019t think he knows what he\u2019s saying.” <\/p>\n
“The fact that his audience thought it was quite hilarious was also very telling about their character,” she continued. “You know, it\u2019s a bunch of hypocrisy but it\u2019s alright. I can handle it. I\u2019m a big girl.”<\/p>\n
“Everything I\u2019ve had, I\u2019ve had to work for. No one gave me anything,” Winsome said. “Sometimes, what happens to you isn\u2019t because you\u2019re Black or because you\u2019re a woman. It\u2019s simply life. I mean, some days you\u2019re the pigeon and some days you\u2019re the statue. It\u2019s just life.” <\/p>\n
Winsome said she views her position as an opportunity to be a role model for younger people.<\/p>\n
“I really want others to see me, especially the children to say, \u2018Well, if Winsome can do it, I can do it\u2019,” she said. “Because I didn\u2019t do anything special except stay in school and study. And I never let anyone walk over me and if they did, they didn\u2019t get a second chance.” <\/p>\n
Fox News cameras followed Winsome as she toured the Virginia State Capitol last week. <\/p>\n
“A Black lieutenant governor was handing off to another Black lieutenant governor,” she said, referring to herself and current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. “That has never happened. That is history.” <\/p>\n