Virginia gubernatorial nominee and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) clashed with CNN reporter Manu Raju on Friday over her past criticisms of President Trump.
Raju pressed Earle-Sears over the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workforce this year, which have had a significant impact on Virginia, given its large population of federal workers.
“Do you support the president’s purge of the federal workforce, yes or no?” Raju asked the lieutenant governor.
“Oh, OK. If this is the way you want to go, then go ahead. I’m just not going to participate, because I want to talk about real issues,” Earle-Sears responded, adding that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and his administration have tried to bring more jobs to the state.
Earle-Sears accused Democrats of blocking the jobs.
“If they want to work together with me, we can get it done,” she said.
Raju also pressed Earle-Sears about her previous criticism of Trump, specifically pointing to a 2022 interview with Fox Business in which she referred to Trump as “a liability.”
“Do you stand by those comments?” Raju asked.
“I voted for the president the first time around, I voted for him the second time around and I voted for him the third time around,” Earle-Sears responded. “I am going to vote for somebody who understands how everything works.”
“I’m talking about who has brought us economic prosperity in the past,” she continued. “I’m talking about somebody who understands how business works, who understands that the rogue nations of the world have to be told that we’re not going to let them fool around with America, that we will protect America, and that’s what President Trump has done.”
The gubernatorial hopeful added, “Now because of your politics I suppose, you wanted to keep talking about the past when I’ve already told you the president and I have been in the Oval Office, we have had discussion, and I’m going to talk about things that should be held private.”
Trump has yet to formally endorse the lieutenant governor to succeed Youngkin, who is term limited.
Virginia Republicans have raised red flags about their chances in the state’s gubernatorial race, pointing to Earle-Sears significantly trailing her Democratic opponent former Rep. Abigail Spanberger in fundraising and polls.
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