HOUSTON — Virginia Democrats want Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears to cancel her scheduled keynote address to a women’s luncheon at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Houston.
The Democratic Party of Virginia urged Mrs. Sears, a Republican, to withdraw from the Friday event over Tuesday’s mass shooting at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School, which left at least 19 children and two adults dead.
“Virginians should be in disbelief that our Lt. Governor would speak at an NRA event after an unconscionable elementary school shooting that left 19 children dead,” DPVA spokesman Gianni Snidle said in a statement that also called for Mrs. Sears to denounce the NRA.
“These innocent children will never get the chance to grow up due to this unspeakable act of gun violence. We call upon the Lt. Governor to not attend this event, but also to denounce the NRA who is complacent in the face of another mass shooting.”
The lieutenant governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment and the NRA did not indicate whether there was a change in the luncheon’s schedule.
However, Mrs. Sears released a statement on Tuesday night related to the shooting.
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“An ill-wind is blowing through our land; a wretched evil that destroys,” she said. “Terry and I are praying for the parents, siblings, family members, and friends of Robb Elementary School who are now experiencing the deepest of pains. It is a season we wish on no one.”
Mrs. Sears became popular among Second Amendment activists and scorned by Virginia Democrats over her stance on guns the very night she won the Virginia GOP’s nomination to be lieutenant governor.
Her most prominent campaign photo went viral across social media. Wearing full makeup, a green blazer, a white knee-length skirt and a white top, Mrs. Sears is holding a semi-automatic rifle across her chest.
Emblazoned above her name was: “Battle Tested Conservative. Semper Fi.”
Virginia Democratic Del. Mark Levine tweeted, “An assault weapon is not a toy. It shouldn’t be used as a prop. Winsome Sears is glorifying gun violence. We need a Democratic nominee who can show Virginia how dangerous Winsome Sears is.”
Virginia Democratic Del. Dan Helmer agreed, calling it “abhorrent that you would try to score political points while kids are being killed with these weapons.”
On the campaign trail, Mrs. Sears said the Second Amendment was important to fight back against racist gun control laws of the past.
“It was the Democrats. The Democrats did not want black people to own guns,” she said. “[Guns are] for our protection, and the fastest gun-owning segments [of the population] are black women.”
Yet, she lamented at the time, “the only time that black people are mentioned in the news, or you see black people with a gun anywhere in print, is in relation to a crime.”
“We need to change that narrative. There are many legal black gun owners. And we deserve our gun rights as much as anyone. So, I’m a Marine, and I’m in that photo.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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