Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears (R) said that she believes voters elected her, in part, because they do not support the idea that people should be alienated over their race.
"They’re tired of the Black against White and the Asian against Latino," Sears, the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia's history, said of her voters during a "Fox News Sunday" appearance. "They’re tired of it, and they’re tired of politicians who won’t let the wounds of the past heal."
She also emphasized that she always felt she belonged in "whatever room I’m in," adding that she is capable of accomplishing whatever it is she wishes to pursue.
Further speaking on race, Sears said that nobody is "denying that we don’t want to hear all the history, least of all, me," appearing to reference remarks made by a number of Democrats and media pundits, who claimed that Republicans want to ban the teaching of critical race theory so as to avoid educating children about America's tragic history in regard to race.
"I certainly don’t want the sins of the past to be repeated," she continued. "We don’t have to tear one person down in order to build another up. That’s no way to be. That’s not America."
Sears, a Jamaican immigrant who previously served as a U.S. Marine, addressed a "Saturday Night Live" skit mocking her campaign photo, in which she posed with a rifle. The skit featured a joke from Michael Che that suggested Republicans may begin to support gun control because a black person was holding a firearm.
Che, showing the photo said, "Republican Winsome Sears, seen here attempting suicide-by-cop, was elected as Virginia’s first Black female lieutenant governor," adding, "This is actually a win for Democrats because nothing will get Republicans to support gun control faster than this picture."
Sears told host Chris Wallace that she found the joke funny because "I don’t think he knows what he’s saying."
"The fact that his audience thought it was quite hilarious was also very telling about their character," she said. "You know, it’s a bunch of hypocrisy but it’s alright. I can handle it. I’m a big girl."
The 57-year-old said she feels like she has a tremendous opportunity to be a role model in her upcoming role as Virginia's Lieutenant Governor
"I really want others to see me, especially the children to say, ‘Well, if Winsome can do it, I can do it’," she said. "Because I didn’t do anything special except stay in school and study. And I never let anyone walk over me and if they did, they didn’t get a second chance."