The Megyn Kelly Show (Ep. 1178): “Megyn Kelly Makes the Reluctant Case For Cuomo, and Winsome Earle-Sears on the Racism and Misogyny of the Left”

Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Megyn Kelly (SiriusXM)
Guests: Winsome Earle-Sears (Virginia Lt. Governor and gubernatorial candidate)

Episode Overview

This episode is divided into two major segments:

1. Megyn Kelly’s analysis of the contentious NYC mayoral race—featuring strong opinions about Andrew Cuomo, the perceived radicalism of leading candidate Zohran Mamdani, and a broader critique about the growing influence of Muslim politicians in the U.S.
2. A robust interview with Winsome Earle-Sears, current Lt. Governor of Virginia and Republican gubernatorial candidate, focusing on her race against Abigail Spanberger, her opponent’s alleged lack of courage on key issues, racially charged attacks from the left, and the misogyny she faces as a conservative Black woman.

Throughout, Kelly’s signature combative, unrestrained commentary sets a provocative tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NYC Mayoral Race – Megyn Kelly’s “Reluctant Case for Cuomo”

• Concerns Over Zohran Mamdani’s Background (03:30–07:50):

  • Kelly describes Mamdani as a “radical Muslim socialist.”
  • Criticizes Mamdani’s embrace of an imam who supported the Blind Sheikh after the 1993 WTC bombing, and a photo with Ugandan Deputy PM Rebecca Kadaga (a primary architect of Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ laws).
  • "[Mamdani] wants to pretend he's working class. He’s not... This is not like...some random person who turns out to be really harshly anti-gay. This is his country, okay? It's his country." (05:35)

• Analysis of the Candidates (07:50–10:54):

  • Curtis Sliwa, Republican candidate, is considered “unelectable” due to poor polling and campaign performance.
  • Kelly asserts there’s “no choice” but to vote for Cuomo, despite her personal disdain for him:
    • “So I'm sorry, it's disgusting, but I have to go with the guy who's gonna, like, harass me and kill off grannies over the guy who wants to, like, potentially actively turn New York into one big mosque.” (06:59)

• Call-Out on Mamdani’s Radicalism (12:50–13:50):

  • Framing Mamdani as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing...a lot like Barack Obama, only I think, far more radical.”
  • Kelly expresses alarm over increasing Muslim political influence in America, linking it to a perceived threat to “the fundamental Judeo Christian foundation of this country.”

• Cuomo’s Debate Attack on Mamdani (14:26):

  • Cuomo: “I did things. You have never had a job. You've never accomplished anything. There's no reason to believe you have any merit or qualification for eight and a half million lives... Shame on you. Shame on you.” (14:32)

• Mamdani’s Counterattack – Bringing Up Cuomo’s “Sex Pest” Scandals (16:02):

  • “What do you say to the 13 women that you sexually harass?” (16:24)
  • Cuomo’s defense: “There were allegations...they went to five district attorneys, fully litigated...the cases were dropped.” (16:35)
  • Kelly’s comment: “Noticeably absent from his defense was the ‘I didn't do it’...He can't say that. Obviously, we know why.” (16:58)

2. National Politics & Left-Leaning Media Critiques

• Jen Psaki & The Left’s Attacks on J.D. Vance (19:20–20:32):

  • Psaki refers to J.D. Vance as a “little Manchurian candidate...willing to do anything to get there. I mean, he's scarier in certain ways. He's smarter...and he’s a chameleon...” (19:21)
  • Kelly: “You absolute fucking morons. You know nothing. You know nothing about MAGA, you know nothing about J.D., you know nothing about Trump.” (20:13)
  • She strongly defends Vance and his wife, Usha, against what she terms demeaning leftist psychoanalysis.

• Sunny Hostin and Race in America (26:32–27:03):

  • Hostin recounts telling her local police not to “harass” her Harvard-bound Black son jogging in their white neighborhood.
  • Kelly criticizes this as performative and rooted in “no gratitude for what this country's given her. Zero.”

3. Virginia Gubernatorial Race — Winsome Earle-Sears Interview

The Jay Jones Texting Scandal & Democrat Silence (36:27–40:30)

• Viral Debate Moment (36:27):

  • Sears chastises Spanberger: “Abigail, you have little girls. What would it take? Him pulling the trigger?...Abigail, you're running to be governor.”

• Sears’ Critique:

  • “The people of Virginia want somebody with a backbone and not cunning.” (38:59)
  • Spanberger’s response is criticized as being about the timing of the text release, not the content:
    • “What does it matter?...It matters that murder was advocated for one's political opponent.” (40:32)

Transgender Policies and Girls’ Safety (43:10–44:13)

• Kelly on Spanberger:

  • “She wants to have it both ways...She won’t just come out and say, 'I’m going to rescind the order.' She wants to sort of pacify.”

• Sears’ Response:

  • “She's going to make sure that all of Virginia adheres to boys being fully undressed in locker rooms with girls...She voted for it...So let's not ask if she supports. She voted for it. It’s what she wants.” (43:10–44:13)

Immigration and Sanctuary Policies (47:32–48:38)

• Spanberger’s position: Against using local police for civil immigration infractions.
• Sears’ reply: “It’s very simple: If you are a criminal and you're illegally here, you gotta go. Why do we want you?...We're talking about the worst kinds of criminals. Pedophiles, murderers, rapists.” (48:38)

Race and Leftist Racism (50:30–54:17)

• On Hostile Attacks from the Left:
  • Sears: “You know who always reminds me that I'm black? The Democrats. And it’s in some racist form or other.” (50:30)
  • Discusses real-life harassment and explicit racism, including a rally sign comparing bathroom access to Jim Crow-era water fountains and “go back to Haiti” slurs.
  • “I'm used to this. I'm back into politics after being gone for 20 years and apparently we still need a whole lot of prayer.” (54:17)

Misogyny and Women in Politics (55:13–56:17)

• Sears on exclusion from mainstream feminist narratives:
  • “Do they think that Republican women don't count?...Come on, what else do I need to do to prove that I'm quite capable?...Apparently, Republican women don't count.” (55:13–56:17)

Trump’s Potential Endorsement (56:17–57:50)

• Sears: Open to a Trump endorsement, whatever fits the campaign strategy.

Key Closing Remarks

• Sears: Confident about victory, credits campaign with practical wins (economic investments, job creation), contrasts with Spanberger’s record.
• Kelly: Urges audience to “get off [their] couch” and vote for Sears. “She needs the help.” (61:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments w/ Timestamps

• “There’s no choice right now. You’re going to have to vote Cuomo. I’m sorry...Curtis can’t win and...it’s disgusting, but I have to go with [Cuomo]...” — Megyn Kelly (06:59)

• “This is a scary time for America, for New York...Does anyone care that Islam is not consistent with...the fundamental Judeo Christian foundation of this country?” — Megyn Kelly (12:50)

• “You absolute fucking morons. You know nothing. You know nothing about MAGA, you know nothing about J.D., you know nothing about Trump.” — Megyn Kelly addresses left-wing pundits (20:13)

• “You know who always reminds me that I'm black? The Democrats. And it's in some racist form or other.” — Winsome Earle-Sears (50:30)

• “Do they think that Republican women don't count?...Apparently, Republican women don't count.” — Winsome Earle-Sears on misogyny from the left (55:13)

• “I'm used to this. I'm back into politics after being gone for 20 years and apparently we still need a whole lot of prayer.” — Winsome Earle-Sears on enduring racial attacks (54:17)

• “I am an overcomer. Our children are overcomers.” — Winsome Earle-Sears (52:22)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:47–06:59 | NYC Mayoral debate breakdown; concerns about Mamdani & Cuomo endorsement | | 07:50–13:35 | Campaign dynamics: Sliwa, Mamdani's record, Muslim leaders in U.S. cities | | 14:26–16:58 | Cuomo/Mamdani debate exchange; sexual harassment allegations | | 19:20–20:32 | Jen Psaki & leftist pundits attack J.D. Vance | | 26:32–27:03 | Sunny Hostin recounts telling police about her son; Kelly's critique | | 34:08–35:36 | Panel preview: Texas tour, upcoming guests | | 36:27–48:38 | Interview: Winsome Earle-Sears, Virginia’s Jay Jones scandal, debate moments | | 50:30–54:17 | Sears on race, being a conservative Black woman and racial attacks by the left | | 55:13–57:50 | Misogyny; being excluded from “women’s progress” narrative; Trump endorsement | | 61:14 | Kelly’s final call to action for Virginia voters |

Tone & Style

• Bold, combative, and personal: Both host and guest speak with unfiltered candor, using strong language and direct challenges to political opponents and the media.
• Populist: Emphatic concern for “real Americans,” traditional values, and American exceptionalism.
• Defensive of conservative women and minorities: Sears, in particular, frames her identity and values as evidence of left-wing hypocrisy on race and gender issues.

Summary

This episode is a vivid snapshot of current American political divides, threaded with Megyn Kelly’s acerbic wit and unapologetic biases. The first half is dominated by a “reluctant” endorsement of Andrew Cuomo in the face of what Kelly views as the unacceptable radicalism of progressive candidate Mamdani in NYC. The second half uses the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial race as a framework for inveighing against Democratic hypocrisy on matters of race, gender, policing, and immigration—with Winsome Earle-Sears delivering pointed, personal rebukes to those challenging her legitimacy as a conservative Black woman. Both host and guest argue that the real intolerance and bigotry is found on the left.

This episode is valuable listening for those who want a window into contemporary right-wing messaging, critiques of the progressive mainstream, and the lived experience of a high-profile Black conservative woman in American politics.