Jennifer Carroll Foy

Jennifer Carroll Foy 1

Summary

Current Position: Running for Governor since 2020
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: State Delegate for VA House District 2 from 2019 – 2021

Jennifer Carroll Foy is fighting to:

  • Improve transportation by extending the Metro Blue Rail to Prince William County and changing the state formula to ensure Stafford county has sufficient funds for road construction and maintenance.
  • Protect the water we drink from coal ash contamination, by removing ash or recycling it to make materials like concrete.
  • Ensure that veterans have the resources they need to get an education, start a businesses, and fully participate in Virginia’s economy after returning from service.

OnAir Post: Jennifer Carroll Foy

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About

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Source: Campaign page

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you my story because I think you deserve to know more about me and what I believe.

When I was growing up, my grandmother always said, “If you have it, you have to give it.” Those words stuck with me when I was at the Virginia Military Institute; they were the reason I served as a foster parent; and they are a guiding principle I live by as a public defender and a Delegate.

Giving back has been, and must continue to be, the foundation of Virginia. That is why I’ve made it my life’s work.

When I was at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), I knew I had to defy the odds and graduate in order to have the opportunity to give back. I enrolled in the third class of female cadets to attend the historically all-male college. On my first day, they shaved my head and said, “Welcome to VMI.” My best male friend bet me a dollar that I wouldn’t last a year. Well, I won that bet.

I know the deck seems stacked against us. Sometimes it seems like politicians prefer gridlock over results. But every time I look my kids in the eyes, or walk into work as a public defender, I know we have to fight toward a fairer, stronger, and more just Virginia. Having spent four years in a military academy, I learned to address problems head-on and never back down from a fight.

As your Delegate, I have delivered the following results:

  • We passed a state budget that expanded Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians to ensure access to affordable healthcare for veterans, women, and working families.
  • We passed a budget that includes 3% salary increases for teachers and 2% salary increases for law enforcement officers.
  • I proposed and passed legislation preparing our students for the 21st Century economy by making it easier for them to take coding classes and get Career and Technical Education certifications.
  • I proposed and passed legislation that made it easier for foster parents to adopt their foster children.
  • I led the charge to include funding for the full development of Widewater State Park in Stafford in Virginia’s budget.
  • I co-patroned a bill to increase the grand larceny threshold from $200 to $500.

But, we still have work to do. As your Delegate, I am fighting to:

  • Improve transportation by extending the Metro Blue Rail to Prince William County and changing the state formula to ensure Stafford county has sufficient funds for road construction and maintenance.
  • Protect the water we drink from coal ash contamination, by removing ash or recycling it to make materials like concrete.
  • Ensure that veterans have the resources they need to get an education, start a businesses, and fully participate in Virginia’s economy after returning from service.

Together, we can achieve great things. If you have any questions, please email my office at DelJCarrollFoy@house.virginia.gov.

Experience

Education

  • BA
    Virginia Military Institute
    2019 to 2003
  • MA
    Virginia State University
    2019 to 2005
  • JD
    Thomas Jefferson School of Law
    2019 to 2010

Personal

Birth Year: 1981
Place of Birth: Petersburg, VA
Gender: Female
Race(s): African American
Religion: Baptist
Spouse: Jeffrey Foy
Children: Alex Foy and Xander Foy
Occupation/Profession: Public Defender

Contact

Legislative Assistant: Joshua Crandell
Administrative Assistant During Session: Charlotte Via

Email:

Offices

Capitol Office
Pocahontas Building
900 E. Main St,
Richmond, Virginia 23219

District Office
P.O. Box 5113
Woodbridge, VA 22194
Phone: (571) 402-5704

Web

Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, Facebook

Politics

Source: none

Recent Elections

2019

Jennifer Carroll Foy (D)11,82860.92%
Heather Mitchell (R)7,56338.95%
Write in (Write-in)24.12%
TOTAL19,415

2017

Jennifer Carroll Foy (D)13,36663.0%
Michael David Makee (R)7,80336.8%
Write in (Write-in)34.2%
TOTAL21,203

Finances

Source: Follow the Money

Voting Record

See: Vote Smart

New Legislation

Source: Ballotpedia

Issues

Source: Campaign page

Civil Rights

WOMEN’S RIGHTSAs a working mother who gave birth during my campaign, I know the struggles of simultaneously being a mother and working a full-time job. That’s why I am fighting to institute paid family medical leave policies, fair scheduling laws, and equal pay for equal work policies. I also believe that we must ensure all women have access to affordable birth control and cancer screenings. I am staunch defender against the concerted effort to roll back women’s rights and access to safe, affordable healthcare

As a working mother who gave birth during my campaign, I know the struggles of simultaneously being a mother and working a full-time job. 

That’s why I am fighting to institute paid family medical leave policies, fair scheduling laws, and equal pay for equal work policies. I also believe that we must ensure all women have access to affordable birth control and cancer screenings. I am staunch defender against the concerted effort to roll back women’s rights and access to safe, affordable healthcare

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

As a former magistrate and a current public defender, I have witnessed first-hand the need for comprehensive criminal justice reform. We must end the school to prison pipeline and stop locking up our children for small mistakes. This starts by promoting alternatives to out of school suspension and emphasizing deterrence options for resource officers. In the 2018 session, I proposed ten criminal justice reform bills.

In my first year in office, I co-sponsored legislation to raise the grand larceny threshold from $200 to $500 and stop needlessly convicting children of felonies. Virginia had one of the lowest grand larceny thresholds in the country: If someone takes something valued at $200 or more, they can be charged with a felony. That means, if a child is cold and takes a coat in the dead of winter, they would often be charged with a felony and sent to prison. While I believe the grand larceny threshold should be raised to $1000, I am pleased we were able to raise the resold to $500. We must continue to focus on smart-on-crime initiatives that keep kids in schools and out of prisons.

Economy

GROWING OUR MIDDLE CLASSWe need to grow our economy from the middle out, by investing in our workforce, preparing every Virginian for the 21st Century economy, and ensuring that everyone can earn a living wage and be treated with dignity on the job. In my first year, I passed a bill that allows English language learners to take a coding class instead of a foreign language for the purposes of their graduation requirements to help give them the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy. Furthermore, I passed a bill that makes it easier for our children to receive Career and Technical Education certifications in our public schools. I will continue to sponsor and support legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour, create paid family medical leave in Virginia, and end the gender pay gap. Nobody deserves to work 40 hours a week and live in poverty

We need to grow our economy from the middle out, by investing in our workforce, preparing every Virginian for the 21st Century economy, and ensuring that everyone can earn a living wage and be treated with dignity on the job. 

In my first year, I passed a bill that allows English language learners to take a coding class instead of a foreign language for the purposes of their graduation requirements to help give them the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy. Furthermore, I passed a bill that makes it easier for our children to receive Career and Technical Education certifications in our public schools. I will continue to sponsor and support legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour, create paid family medical leave in Virginia, and end the gender pay gap. Nobody deserves to work 40 hours a week and live in poverty

Education

During my campaign, I promised to go to Richmond and increase teacher pay. I am proud to say that the new state budget includes 3% salary increases from all teachers and support workers. As your delegate, I will continue to fight to strengthen our schools by working to reduce classroom size and combat the teacher shortage crisis in Prince William and Stafford. 

Public education has a direct impact on the economy and raises families out of poverty. In order to attract and retain quality teachers, we must find creative ways to attract the best and brightest educators. We also must reinvest in our schools to remain competitive and prepare the future generation.

Environment

COAL ASH, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR STATE PARKS

In Woodbridge, I live just a few miles from Possum Point, where coal ash waste from a power plant was stored in ponds that seeped toxic chemicals into our water. We must protect the water we drink from coal ash contamination and ensure this pollution never happens again. This starts by removing the coal ash or recycling it to make materials like concrete.

As your Delegate, I support laws that will support the boom in renewable energy and create green jobs. I will also support entrepreneurial innovation and challenge businesses to engineer ways to reduce our carbon emissions.

Finally, with explosive population growth in Stafford and Prince William counties, we need a place where people can relax and enjoy the outdoors. That’s why I introduced a budget amendment to fully fund Widewater State Park’s operations and development in Stafford county. I am proud that the General Assembly allocated these funds, allowing Stafford residents to finally have public access to the Potomac River.

Health Care

In 2018, we passed a state budget that includes Medicaid expansion. 

Thanks to your advocacy, we expanded Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians – veterans, women, and working families. Here in the 2nd District, 2,400 of our neighbors now have access to healthcare through Medicaid expansion.

Infrastructure

TRANSPORTATION

Our neighbors lose far too much family time to traffic. As a daily commuter, I understand first-hand the effect traffic has on our businesses and our quality of life. As delegate, I proposed legislation to begin the process of extending the Metro Blue Line into Prince William County. While my efforts were blocked, I will continue to fight for transportation solutions. We must also change the Virginia Department of Transportation funding formula to ensure that Stafford county has adequate road funding

Veterans

As a VMI graduate, I know the sacrifice that our veterans, their spaces, and their families make for our country. One in every ten Virginian is a veteran – and we have more women veterans than any other state. I pledge to fight as hard for our veterans as they did for us. I have proposed legislation that helps fund extra programs in the Department of Veteran Services to help returning women veterans.

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