Winsome Earle-Sears appears to downplay federal worker firings in leaked audio

“The media is making it out to be this huge, huge thing, and I don’t understand why,” a speaker identified as Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears says of federal workers losing their jobs in leaked audio published by the left-leaning digital outlet MeidasTouch.

The front runner to become Virginia’s Republican nominee for governor apparently downplayed the pain of tens of thousands of federal workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. 

In a 35-second audio clip dated March 13 published by the left-leaning digital outlet MeidasTouch, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears is identified as saying she does not want people to lose their jobs but suggests losing a job is “not unusual.” 

“The media is making it out to be this huge, huge thing, and I don’t understand why,” the speaker identified as Earle-Sears says.

EXCLUSIVE: Virginia GOP Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears says she doesn’t understand why people are upset about jobs being lost in her state due to DOGE and that it ‘happens to everybody all the time.’ pic.twitter.com/0308jmCuu8

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) March 28, 2025

Earle-Sears has yet to publicly comment on the clip which surfaced on Friday and The Dogwood has not independently verified the authenticity of the recording. Earle-Sears’ campaign did not immediately respond to a Dogwood request for comment. 

Virginia, of course, is home to thousands of federal workers who either live or work here – or both. The Trump administration has eliminated jobs at Shenandoah National Park, in local offices of the Social Security Administration, and has gutted the US Department of Education. 

State leaders have struggled to nail down the exact scope of the pain being wrought in Virginia, but state unemployment claims appear to be on the rise. There were 4,036 unemployment insurance claims filed during the week ending March 8 – a 40% jump from the previous week. It is worth noting that weekly claims tend to fluctuate. 

The US unemployment rate was 4.1% in February (the most recent data available) and Virginia’s unemployment rate was 3.1%, though researchers have warned that could jump significantly as the broader impacts of Trump’s federal firings ripple through the region. 

Leaders across the state are worried about the impact the Trump administration’s attacks on federal workers and cuts to federal spending will have on Virginia’s economy. A special Senate subcommittee is meeting on Wednesday to consider how Virginia can respond to potential impacts of what’s happening at the federal level. 

State Republicans, led by lame-duck Gov. Glenn Youngkin, support what the Trump administration is doing and have been downplaying the pain of the cuts all along. The recording published by MeidasTouch is notable for just how direct the comments are.  

Democrats, including Earle-Sears’ leading rival for Virginia’s governor’s mansion, former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, have seized on the recording to attack her. 

“The impact on Virginia’s economy – the attacks on the federal workforce are real,” Spanberger said in a video posted to X. “And anyone who wants to be governor of Virginia, their first responsibility is to stand up for Virginians.”

My opponent thinks thousands of Virginians being fired from their jobs isn’t a big deal. That’s not leadership.

Virginians deserve a Governor who will always stand up for Virginia jobs, no matter who is in the White House. pic.twitter.com/PXNeN3HQHK

— Abigail Spanberger (@SpanbergerForVA) March 31, 2025

Virginia congressman Don Beyer said on X that Earle-Sears should apologize for her remarks. 

“Thousands of Virginians are losing their livelihoods and the ability to put food on the table through no fault of their own,” Beyer said. “You can’t lead without basic human compassion for the people you’re supposed to serve.