Summary
Current Position: Public defender
Former Positions: Magistrate Judge, Delegate for 2nd District 2017 to 2020.
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: Senate District 33
“I have never been able to ignore a call from my community to serve”
As one of the first African-American women to graduate from Virginia Military Institute, a former foster mom, magistrate judge, public defender, and Delegate, I’ve dedicated my life to the service of others. And that lifelong experience has driven my determination to get results for Virginians — ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, expanding Medicaid to roughly 500,000 Virginians, raising the minimum wage, expanding broadband, cleaning up toxic coal ash and providing opportunities for veterans to start businesses — I am incredibly proud to have helped lead the charge for bold progress here in Virginia with Governor Northam, Speaker Filler-Corn, the House and Senate Caucuses, and outstanding activists in my district and across Virginia.
But we are at a critical juncture for our Commonwealth, where so much of our progress has the potential to be reversed. That’s why I’m again stepping up to serve my community and move Virginia forward as a candidate for state Senate in Virginia’s 33rd District. My commitment to Virginia has never wavered, and I will work hard to build a better Virginia for everyone.
Source: Campaign site
OnAir Post: Jennifer Carroll Foy
News
About
Jennifer Carroll Foy was born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia — a community with heart that also fell on hard times.
Petersburg has one of the highest poverty rates and one of the highest rates of unaccredited schools. The city was named one of the most dangerous places to live per capita in all of Virginia. Jennifer was raised by her grandmother, Mary Lee Carroll — a powerhouse and a leader in the community.
Her grandmother would say, “Jenn, if you have it, you have to give it.” Jennifer saw her grandmother give all she had — even when she didn’t have much to give.
She watched her grandmother go to work every day as a health aide in Petersburg. And when she came home at night, she usually came home to a house full of people from church who fell on hard times and needed a helping hand.
When Jennifer was a young woman, her grandmother suffered a stroke that made her a quadriplegic. Suddenly the strongest woman Jennifer knew needed to be taken care of herself. Hard choices followed, as they do for so many Virginia families. Jennifer and her aunt had to make the difficult decision to cut Mary Lee’s lifesaving prescription drugs in half some months so they could afford both the medication and their mortgage.
This experience, and growing up in a community where people worked multiple jobs to barely make ends meet, her friends were victims of gun violence, and students didn’t have books to take home, led Jennifer to commit herself to a life of service.
In high school, she joined the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC). And upon watching the Supreme Court make the landmark decision to open the door for women to attend Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Jennifer knew she had to attend. Jennifer was one of the first women to graduate from VMI. Having spent four years at Virginia Military Institute, Jennifer learned to address problems head-on and never back down from a fight — and she deepened her commitment to put service above self.
After graduation, Jennifer went on to receive a master’s degree from Virginia State University and a law degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Jennifer started her career as a magistrate judge. But she quickly saw how people in her courtroom were being treated differently based on their race, economic status, or zip code. Jennifer became a public defender to help give a voice to the voiceless — children, people suffering from addiction, those experiencing houselessness, those with mental illness, and the poor.
In 2017, she took her commitment to service to the Virginia House of Delegates.
She ran for office while pregnant with her twin boys and flipped a historically red district blue. In the House of Delegates, she led the charge to clean up toxic coal ash ponds across the Commonwealth and was a part of the successful push to expand Medicaid to over 500,000 Virginians. During the 2020 General Assembly, Jennifer advanced a pro-woman, pro-labor, and pro-environment agenda, and led the charge to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia as the bill’s chief sponsor.
Senate District 33
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Web Links
Endorsements
Fairfax County Endorsements
- Delegate Karrie Delaney (VA-67)
- Delegate Dan Helmer (VA-40)
- Delegate Paul Krizek (VA-44)
- Jeff McKay, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chair
- Walter Alcorn, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Hunter Mill District
- John Foust, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Dranesville Supervisor
- Rodney Lusk, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Lee District Supervisor Elec
- Daniel Storck, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Mount Vernon District
- Ricardy Anderson, Fairfax County School Board Member, Mason District
- Laura Jane Cohen, Fairfax County School Board Member, Springfield District
- Karl Frisch, Fairfax County School Board Member, Providence District
- Melanie K Meren, Fairfax County School Board Member, Hunter Mills District
- Stella Pekarsky, Fairfax County School Board Member, Sully District
- Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Fairfax County School Board Member, Member at large
- Elaine Tholen, Fairfax County School Board Member, Dranesville District
- Steve Descano, Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney
- Linda Sperling, Former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Candidate and Local Activist
- Paul Friedman, Fairfax County Community Leader
- Alicia Plerhoples, Fairfax Community Leader & Former Candidate for Fairfax County Chair
- Shyamali Roy Hauth, Community Organizer & Former Candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
- Peter Weyland, Transportation Chair for South County Federation, LCAC Board Member, Mason Neck Citizens Association Board Member, South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce Board Member and Co-Founder
- Maritza Zermeno, Former Mt. Vernon Democratic Committee Chair & Community Organizer
Prince William & Manassas Endorsements
- Atif Quarni, Former Virginia Secretary of Education
- Delegate Michelle Maldonado (VA-50)
- Babur Lateef, Prince William County School Board Member, Chair
- Ann Wheeler, Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Chair At Large
- Victor Angry, Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Neabsco District, Vice Chair
- Kenny Boddye, Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Occoquan District
- Margaret Angela Franklin, Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Woodbridge District
- Adele Jackson, Prince William County School Board Member, Brentsville
- Lillie Jessie, Prince William County School Board Member, Occoquan District
- Diane Raulston, Prince William County School Board Member, Neabsco District
- Justin Wilk, Prince William County School Board Member, Potomac District
- Loree Williams, Prince William County School Board Member, Woodbridge District, Vice Chair
- Lisa Zargarpur, Prince William County School Board Member, Coles District
- Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, City of Manassas
- Selonia Miles, Councilwoman – Town of Dumfries
- Rob Perry, Planning Commissioner – Occoquan District
- Mayor Earnie Porta, Town of Occoquan
- Ralph Smith, Manassas City Councilman
- Karl Becker, Vice Chair of Prince William County Coles District Democratic Committee
- Tiziana Bottino, Prince William County Soil and Water Conservation District Director
- Evelyn I. BruMar, Prince William County Human Rights Commissioner, Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board Member
- George Hampton, Prince William County Community Leader and Activist
- Richard Jessie, Prince William County Community Leader & Democratic Political Consultant
- Mansimran S. Kahlon, Prince William County Soil & Water Conservation Board Member & Community Activist
- Idris O’Connor , Coles District Committee Chairperson
- David Pala, Former Prince William County Democratic Committee Executive Director
- Collin Robinsonm Former Prince William County Democratic Committee Chair, Democratic Committee Chair 2012-2018
- Raheel Sheikh , Prince William County Community Leader and Activist
- Aeshah Sheikh, Community Activist
- Siddique Sheikh, Prince William County Community and Business Leader
- Harry W. Wiggins, Occoquan Democratic Committee Chair 2019-2021 & Prince William Democratic Committee Chair 2012-2018
Federal Endorsements
- The Late US Congressman Donald McEachin (VA-04)
Virginia Endorsements
- State Senator Lionell Spruill (VA-05)
- Delegate Nadarius Clark (VA-79)
- Delegate Joshua G. Cole (VA-28)
- Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler (VA-21)
- Delegate Sally Hudson (VA-57)
- Delegate Chris L. Hurst (VA-16)
- Delegate Sam Rasoul (VA-11)
- Delegate Rodney Willett (VA-73)
- Herb Jones, US Congressional Candidate (VA-01)
- Alyia Gaskins, Alexandria City Councilmember
- Phyllis J. Randall, Loudoun County Chair at Large
- Koran T. Saines, Vice Chairman of Loudoun Board of Supervisors – Sterling District
- Pam Yeung, Stafford Vice Chair Board of Supervisors – Garrisonville District
- Maya Guy, Stafford County School Board Member – Aquia District
- Stephanie Rizzi, 5th District School Board Representative – Richmond Public Schools
- Tinesha Allen, Stafford County Board of Supervisors
- Buta Biberaj, Commonwealth’s Attorney – Loudoun County
- Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Commonwealth’s Attorney – Arlington County & City of Falls Church
- Kenya Gibson, Vice Chair Richmond City School Board
- Sylvia Glass, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors – Broad Run District Supervisor
- Tavorise K. Marks, Civil Rights Leader and Small Business Owner
- Mayor Samuel Parham, City of Petersburg
- Vice Mayor Annette Smith-Lee, City of Petersburg
- Donte Tanner, Board of Zoning Appeals Member
- Gwendolyn Bell, Former Candidate for Stafford County Board of Supervisor – Rock Hill
- Veronica Coleman, Pastor and Community Leader
- Kecia Evans, Former Candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates
- Irina Khanin, Child Advocacy Attorney, Vice President of Winchester Education Foundation, Community Activist, and Former Candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates
- Atiba Muse, Former Petersburg City Public School Board Member – Ward 2
- Susan Platt, Former Chief of Staff to Sen Joe Biden and Former Candidate for Lt. Governor
- Anika Rahman, Community Leader
- Qasim Rashid, Human Rights Lawyer and Former Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress
- LaVeesha Rollins, Community Activist
- Gene Rossi, Former Career Federal Prosecutor & Candidate for VA Lt Governor
- Yolanda Roussell, Community Leader
- Lisa Sales, Sexual & Domestic Violence/Women’s Rights & Equity Advocate
- Mo Seifeldein, Former Alexandria Councilmember
- Vangie Williams, Former Congressional Candidate & Business Owner
Labor
- ATU Local 689
- Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building Trades
- Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
- IBEW Local 26
- Iron Workers Local 5
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers
- Mid Atlantic Pipe Trades
- Operating Engineers Local 77
- Prince William Education Association
- Sara Nelson, President of Association of Flight Attendants
- SMART Union
- Teamsters Local Union 639
- UNITE HERE Local 25
Organizations
- CASA in Action
- Clean Virginia
- FCPS Pride
- Freedom Virginia
- Lead Locally
- MPower Action
- The Next 50
- VoteMama
- #VOTEPROCHOICE
- Working Families Party
Wikipedia
Jennifer Denise Carroll Foy (born September 25, 1981) is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she is a public defender and Virginia State Senator from the 33rd district. Carroll Foy was elected to represent Virginia's 2nd House of Delegates district in 2017, which covers parts of Prince William County and Stafford County in Northern Virginia. In December 2020, she resigned from the House of Delegates,[1] in order to focus on her campaign for Governor of Virginia in 2021.[2][3] She lost in the Democratic primary, placing second behind Terry McAuliffe.[4] She was the 2023 Democratic nominee for State Senate in Virginia's 33rd Senate district, winning the race with nearly 63% of the vote.[5]
Early life and education
Jennifer Carroll Foy was born and grew up in Petersburg, Virginia.[6] Raised by her grandmother,[7] she graduated from Petersburg High School, where she participated in Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.[8] She received her bachelor's degree from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 2003.[6] Part of the third class of female cadets to attend the university, she received a full scholarship.[9] Carroll Foy received her master's degree from Virginia State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.[10]
Career
After graduating from law school, Carroll Foy spent time teaching and worked in Los Angeles as a litigation associate. She moved back to Virginia and opened a private practice that focused on criminal defense.[11]
In February 2017, Carroll Foy entered the race for the Second District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.[11] In her 2017 campaign, Carroll Foy ran on expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, increasing teacher pay, and criminal justice reform.[12] In November 2017, Carroll Foy beat Republican Mike Makee, and became delegate of Virginia's Second district.[13]
In the House of Delegates, Carroll Foy sat on the Courts of Justice, Finance, and Public Safety Committees.[14]
In 2020, Carroll Foy filed paperwork to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.[15][7] On December 8, 2020, she announced plans to resign from the House of Delegates in order to focus full-time on her gubernatorial campaign.[1] Her resignation came into effect on December 12, 2020.[16] She, like fellow candidate Jennifer McClellan, would've been the first female governor of Virginia, the second African-American governor after Douglas Wilder, and first African-American female governor of the United States if elected.[17] However, former governor Terry McAuliffe was renominated in the Democratic primary, instead.[4]
In 2023, she was elected to the Virginia State Senate, defeating Republican Michael Van Meter with nearly 63% of the vote.[18]
Political positions
Healthcare
Carroll Foy voted to pass Medicaid expansion in the General Assembly in March 2018, expanding health insurance coverage for 400,000 Virginians.[19]
Women's rights
Carroll Foy proposed and passed the Equal Rights Amendment, making Virginia the 38th state to ratify the constitutional amendment.[20]
Criminal justice
A public defender, Carroll Foy has advocated for the reform of cash bail, criticizing what she called Virginia's "justice-for-profit system".[21]
Carroll Foy initially abstained from voting on a 2020 proposal to reduce prison sentences, bringing Virginia's "earned sentence credit" program in line with other states.[22] She eventually voted in favor of a significantly more conservative version of the bills.[22][23]
Redistricting
Carroll Foy supports third-party, commission-drawn legislative maps but opposed the amendment to the state constitution as proposed in 2020, saying she felt it was wrong to inscribe a “substandard” proposal in the constitution.[21]
Labor
Carroll Foy has been an advocate for paid family and medical leave for all workers.[6]
Infrastructure
Carroll Foy supports efforts to expand broadband access, particularly to southwest Virginia.[8]
Environment and climate change
Carroll Foy was a chief co-patron of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which aims to shift Virginia's energy reliance to solely renewable sources over the next few decades[24][25]
Personal life
She is married to Jeffrey Foy, whom she met at VMI.[7] In July 2017, she gave birth to twin boys.[26]
Electoral history
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia House of Delegates, 2nd district | |||||
| June 13, 2017[27] | Primary | Jennifer Carroll Foy | Democratic | 2,182 | 50.14% |
| Josh King | Democratic | 2,170 | 49.86% | ||
| Nov 7, 2017[28] | General | Jennifer Carroll Foy | Democratic | 13,366 | 63.04% |
| Mike Makee | Republican | 7,803 | 36.80% | ||
| Nov 5, 2019[29] | General | Jennifer Carroll Foy | Democratic | 11,828 | 60.92% |
| Heather Mitchell | Republican | 7,563 | 38.95% | ||
| Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia | |||||
| June 8, 2021 [30] | Primary | Terry McAuliffe | Democratic | 300,236 | 62.17% |
| Jennifer Carroll Foy | Democratic | 95,873 | 19.85% | ||
| Jennifer McClellan | Democratic | 56,258 | 11.65% | ||
| Justin Fairfax | Democratic | 17,106 | 3.54% | ||
| Lee J. Carter | Democratic | 13,446 | 2.78% | ||
| Virginia Senate, 33rd district [31] | |||||
| November 7, 2023 | General | ||||
| Jennifer Carroll Foy | Democratic | 35,003 | 62.85% | ||
| Mike L. Van Meter | Republican | 20,525 | 36.85% | ||
References
- ^ a b "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy stepping down to focus on race for Virginia governor". 8News. 2020-12-08. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ Mattingly, Justin. "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ Rankin, Sarah. "Democrat Carroll Foy files to run for Virginia governor". Fredericksburg.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ a b "DDHQ Election Results". results.decisiondeskhq.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
- ^ "VPAP: June 20 Primaries". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ a b c Leonor, Mel (May 27, 2020). "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy begins run for governor, says she is the 'right leader' for Virginia". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
- ^ a b c Vozzella, Laura (2020-05-27). "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy announces bid in Virginia governor's race". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ a b Nicholson, Brooke (2020-07-01). "Jennifer Carroll Foy Wants to be Virginia's First Female Governor". RVA Mag. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
- ^ Feld, Lowell (September 17, 2017). "Video: Rising Star Jennifer Carroll Foy's Amazing Story Shows Women Can Do Anything]". Blue Virginia.
- ^ Jennifer Foy at ballotpedia.org
- ^ a b Vicinanzo, Amanda. "Democrat Jennifer Carroll Foy enters race for Second District seat". Fredericksburg.com. The Free Lance-Star. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ^ "Internet Archive Jennifer Carroll Foy Campaign Website". Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 2017-10-17.
- ^ Koma, Alex. "Foy wins open seat to represent 2nd District; part of sweeping Democratic victories". insidenova.com. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > Member > 2020 Session > Jennifer Carroll Foy". lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- ^ Moomaw, Graham. "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ "Virginia Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy Steps Down to Focus on Governor Campaign". NBC4 Washington. December 8, 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- ^ Moomaw, Graham. "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ Staff Reports (2023-11-07). "Jennifer Carroll Foy wins 33rd District Senate seat". Prince William Times. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ Moomaw, Graham (March 30, 2018). "For Va. House Democratic freshmen, Medicaid expansion vote is payoff to 2017 campaigns". Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ Chappell, Bill (January 15, 2020). "Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment, Decades After The Deadline". National Public Radio. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Hitchcock, Ben (2020-08-19). "Aiming high: Jennifer Carroll Foy wants to fight for the little guy". C-VILLE Weekly. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
- ^ a b Oliver, Ned (2020-10-26). "Thousands of Virginia prisoners could be released early under new earned sentence credit program". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
- ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > > 2020 session: HB 5148 Earned sentence credits". lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
- ^ Janfaza, Rachel (22 March 2021). "Sunrise Movement endorses Jennifer Carroll Foy for Virginia governor". CNN. CNN Politics. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ HB 1526 Electric utility regulation; environmental goals. Virginia General Assembly. April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ Linda Feldmann. In Trump era, a sudden flood of women candidates. Christian Science Monitor. 10 Nov 2017.
- ^ "House of Delegates District 2". www.vpap.org. Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ "Elections: House of Delegates District 2". www.vpap.org. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- ^ "Elections: House of Delegates District 2". www.vpap.org. Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ "New York Times". Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Virginia Department of Elections". Retrieved 9 October 2024.
