Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, the first black Republican to hold her position in the state, has come up with an idea for a new caucus after a fellow black conservative Republican lawmaker was denied admission to state legislature’s Virginia Black Caucus.
On Friday, Sears unloaded on Democrats after Del. A. C. Cordoza was denied entry, a decision he said really bothered him.
In an interview with Fox News, Cordoza said the denial was akin to a “spit in the face” because it left him feeling like the organization sees him as “not black enough.”
“Defining what Black is by these liberal criteria is frankly wrong and disgusting,” Cordoza, an Air Force vet, said, adding that he wants to join the group to add a conservative voice to an organization that is traditionally far-left.
“I wanted to represent all African-Americans, not just liberal ones,” he told Fox News. “I wanted a seat at the table.”
When he applied to join, he was asked to fill out a questionnaire listing his legislative priorities. The last question asked him if he opposed any of the legislative priorities listed on the Black Caucus’ 2022 agenda, and he listed 32 items.
“I thought they would want to know why I didn’t agree with it,” Cordoza told Fox News. “I didn’t think we would agree on everything, but I thought they would let me in so they would want to hear my voice.”
But they didn’t. And they did not allow him to join, either. So now he is considering forming his own legislative caucus.
“It might be a caucus of one,” he said. “But it will be a caucus when new members come that’s going to welcome all African Americans, regardless of their views, because we want the African American voices to be heard, not just one singular voice rejecting all other Black voices.
“We want a full picture of what it is to be an African American, whether we agree or disagree,” Cordoza continued. “We need to come together and say, ‘this is who we are.’”
The exclusion of Cordoza led Sears to take to social media, posting on Twitter.
“We’re trying to start a new caucus. Name suggestions?” Sears asked, before going on to suggest several, including “The No More Division Caucus” and “The You’re Not Black Enough Caucus.”
We’re trying to start a new caucus. Name suggestions?
The You’re Not Black Enough Caucus
The No More Division Caucus
The Welcome Caucus
The Let’s Do Away With Caucuses Caucus
The FRIEND Caucus #Virginia #inclusion #everforward https://t.co/3q0cShRFZT— Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) February 4, 2022
She added more suggestions, such as “The We Shall Overcome Caucus” and the amazing “Becky With The Good Hair Caucus.”
The We Shall Overcome Caucus
The I Can’t Believe They Didn’t Accept Me Caucus
The Watch the Trolls Come Out Caucus
The Tear Down This Wall Caucus
The Becky With The Good Hair Caucus— Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) February 4, 2022
Cordoza is not the only black conservative to be denied membership in a similar organization. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said last summer the Congressional Black Caucus, which has no GOP members, would not let him join, either.
“Since starting in Congress, our office and the Congressman have engaged with several CBC members expressing his interest in joining, but all we’ve got is the cold shoulder,” Donalds’ communications director Harrison Fields told Fox News in June.
“The sad reality is although the Congressman and those in the CBC share the same race, the (R) behind his name disqualifies him from membership today,” Fields added.
