Sarah Goodman: “Virginians deserve a leader who will fight to protect their right to contraception and reproductive care” 

VIRGINIA - On May 7, 2025, following the veto of the Right to Contraception Act, State Senator and Chief Patron of the bill Ghazala Hashmi, Delegate Candi Mundon King, Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling, and a Virginian with a personal contraception story called out Winsome Earle-Sears’ extreme record on reproductive rights and highlighted why Virginians need a leader who will protect their fundamental freedoms. 

The veto comes after Winsome Earle-Sears cast a tie breaking vote against the Right to Contraception Act earlier this year. Sears recently broke her silence on the vote, saying that “this legislation is more about pushing a political agenda than protecting women’s health.”

“For the second year in a row, Governor Youngkin has vetoed the Right to Contraception Act – legislation that Winsome Earle-Sears cast the tie-breaking vote against – choosing politics over the personal freedom of Virginians. This bill was clear and direct — it defined contraception and protected the right to use it, including IUDs and emergency contraception. That should not be controversial in 2025,” said Chief Patron of the Senate bill Senator Ghazala Hashmi.

“The Right to Contraception Act would have ensured Virginia women have access to contraception and Winsome Earle-Sears’ vote against it signals the extreme agenda she would enact if she has the chance. Virginia deserves better than that,” said Chief Patron of the House bill Delegate Cia Price.

“In the case of the Right to Contraception Act, Virginians deserve a governor who will sign it into law - instead of gutting it and then vetoing it. I’ll always fight to ensure women and their doctors make their healthcare decisions, not politicians. And I know that Abigail Spanberger will do the same,” said Delegate Candi Mundon King.

“With the Right to Contraception Act, we were on track to ensure that all Virginians have access to birth control and contraception and can make these decisions with their doctors, not politicians. Republican leadership vetoing the bill and Winsome Earle-Sears’ vote against it, means the door to extreme restrictions on contraception is wide open,” said Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling.

“My story is one that many women across Virginia share. Every Virginian deserves a leader who will fight to protect our right to contraception and reproductive care,” said Sarah Goodman, a Virginian with a personal contraception story.

Read more about Sears’ dangerous record on reproductive rights: 

• Sears admitted she would not sign the Right to Contraception Act into law saying “[...] this legislation is more about pushing a political agenda [...].”
• Sears “couldn’t resist” voting against this legislation to guarantee Virginia women’s access to contraception.
• She refused to answer questions from the media about her tie-breaking vote denying Virginians access to contraception and birth control.
• Sears supports an extreme six week abortion ban similar to the law that took effect in Texas that bans abortion before most women know they are pregnant.
• Sears has said that she would support an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest.
• January 2021: The Winchester Star reported that Sears said she wanted to make abortion illegal in all cases, unless the life of the mother was at risk.
• Sears vowed to “do everything in [her] power” to end abortion in Virginia.
• Sears’ 2021 lieutenant governor campaign website: “I will do everything in my power to stop this act from taking place in Virginia.”
• Sears attempted to scrub this abortion section from her website around September 2021.
• Sears has declared she is “standing shoulder to shoulder” with the far-right fight against IVF.