Winsome Earle-Sears concedes Virginia governor race, says she’s ‘not going anywhere’

LEESBURG, Va. – Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears told the crowd at her election watch party in Loudoun County that she is "not going anywhere" after a defeat to Abigail Spanberger, and adding that she hopes the governor-elect governs as the moderate she repeatedly pledged to be on the campaign trail.

"I think I learn more in a loss than I ever do in a victory," Earle-Sears said.

"I don’t think we came up short — I think we tried very, very hard — so many had counted me out for so long, and it’s an amazing thing to watch. And we just kept plugging and plugging."

Earle-Sears said she called Spanberger, but that Spanberger did not pick up. She said she wished her well and that she remains open to volunteering to help the Spanberger administration achieve any goals that would make Virginia successful.

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Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears greets supporters on Election Night in Leesburg, Va. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I asked her to please consider all Virginians – that she will represent all of us and not just some of us," she said.

"I hope that Abigail considers school choice, opportunities for our children to excel – it can’t just be one path. How dare you stand in the doorway of a parent who says I want something different for my child," she said.

Earle-Sears added that she ran a race based on "foundational ideas" like repealing car taxes, protecting children and their education, and expanding the economy.

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"I don’t consider this a loss because ... I'm a Christian first and Republican second and that's the way it always should be — no political party has ever given their life for me," she said.

"I'm not going anywhere — and neither are you," she said, adding that Virginia is not a radical-left state and that she intends to keep it that way.

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"We must pray for Abigail, we must pray for our government."

"I'm really not even supposed to be here to think about it. I mean, I am an immigrant from another country, and yet you all have given me the opportunity to do this," she said.

In comments to Fox News Digital, Earle-Sears spokeswoman Peyton Vogel said she is "incredibly proud" of the campaign the outgoing lieutenant governor ran, and that Virginia, nonetheless, made history in electing its first female governor.