Youngkin and Earle-Sears Stand By Trump as Virginia Officials Warn of Major Economic Damage

A new NOTUS report highlights growing concerns among Virginia officials about the potential consequences of Trump’s federal workforce cuts, which could cause major damage to the Commonwealth’s economy. Despite the potentially devastating impacts, Glenn Youngkin and Winsome Earle-Sears continue to back Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce.

Youngkin and Sears, both approached by NOTUS for comment on the issue, did not respond to an interview request. In recent weeks, Youngkin has doubled down on his support of Trump’s layoffs, saying that he should “press forward” while admitting that “Virginians will lose their jobs.” He also directed laid-off workers to simply search for jobs on LinkedIn and Indeed and update their resumes. Sears has also reiterated that she will not stand up for Virginia’s workforce and economy, telling the Fredericksburg Free Press that workers who lose their jobs will be “all right.” The few resources Sears has offered to help Virginians ended up being broken links that led to “404 Page Not Found” website errors.

NOTUS: Virginia officials are bracing for an exodus as federal employees lose their jobs

• “Virginia officials are preparing for the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government to radically reshape their state — including by losing residents.”
• “The state is used to having the federal government as a reliable major employer — it is home to one of the highest concentrations of federal employees due to its proximity to Washington. Already it is seeing changes to its politics around the job losses.”
• “‘I’m worried about these workers leaving, and the ripple effect that’s going to have on the rest of our workforce and the rest of our economy,’ Rep. Jennifer McClellan told NOTUS.”
• “In response to the rapid changes to the federal workforce, Virginia’s state House became the first in the country to form a bipartisan emergency committee to address the economic impact on their state.”
• “There’s also concern among state lawmakers about the impact on the housing market as federal workers worry about affording housing payments. They say that the true impacts on the market will only come into focus over time.”
• “Youngkin, a Trump ally who is in the last year of his term, did not respond to an interview request.”
• “Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, did not respond to a request for comment.”

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