In response to reporting detailing Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears’ campaign receiving donations tied to a known Nazi sympathizer, DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman released the following statement: 

“MAGA extremist Winsome Earle-Sears gladly took the money of a Nazi sympathizer to fund her losing campaign — despite once condemning that very action. The company you keep matters. Working Virginians have a choice this election — a candidate who associates with Nazis or a candidate who will spend every day fighting for working Virginians.”  

Heartland Signal: Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate took money from a Nazi re-enactor from Ohio

By Richard Eberwein

• Virginia Lt. Gov. and 2025 gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears (R) received campaign donations from a known Nazi sympathizer in Ohio, despite criticizing a fellow politician for doing the same.

• According to Virginia Public Access Project, Earle-Sears has received nine $100 monthly payments to her Political Action Committee Winsome PAC from Richard Iott between August 2024 and May 2025. 

• During his congressional run, The Atlantic revealed that Iott was an active member of the Wiking group, which devoted itself to re-enacting battles conducted by the 5th Panzer Division of the Nazi German army during World War II. According to the Toledo Free Press, Iott participated in several Nazi re-enactments between 2002-08 while donning a Waffen-SS uniform. 

• Historians told The Atlantic that the Wiking reenactors greatly sanitizes the real Waffen-SS and overlooks the group’s atrocities.

• Earle-Sears, who won the Republican primary for Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial election last month, previously criticized a fellow GOP candidate for taking money from a Nazi sympathizer while she was actively accepting money from Iott. During an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show” in March, Earle-Sears bashed former Republican Senate candidate Corey Stewart for his financial support from Paul Nehlen, a former congressional candidate from Wisconsin with ties to Nazi meme culture online.

• “But then he went ahead and bought the list of an avowed Nazi,” Earle-Sears said. “Why would you do that. Why do you want money from him and why do you want money from his folks, his side?”